


Words between us

by Winxhelina



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Angst, Anzu likes Atem, Blackmail, Brotherly Affection, Brotherly Love, Drama, Extortion, Fluff, Hospitalization, Kaiba has Priest Set's memories, Language Barrier, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, Misunderstandings, POV Alternating, Panic Attacks, Press Conferences, Press and Tabloids, Prideshipping, Resurrection, Reunions, Slow Burn, Yami Yuugi | Atem Has His Own Body, it's very intimate, post-dsod, puzzleshipping too if you'd like
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:55:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 116,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25411228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Winxhelina/pseuds/Winxhelina
Summary: Seto Kaiba doesn't believe in fate or destiny, in things being pre-determined. Therefore when he learns that Atem doesn't want to stay in the afterlife, he invites him with him and brushes aside all his concerns about it not being where he belongs.However once back Kaiba finds he isn't quite as he left. He never put much effort into talking about his thoughts feelings, but as he finds himself in a world, where barely anyone is able to understand a word he says, he discovers words are more important than he thought. Atem is the only person who can understand him, his company stock is in free fall and that's only the beginning of his problems.
Relationships: Atem & Kaiba Seto, Atem & Mutou Yuugi, Atem/Kaiba Seto, Kaiba Mokuba & Kaiba Seto
Comments: 45
Kudos: 47





	1. Waking up

**Author's Note:**

> I was not super happy with the way Duel Monsters ended. I didn't hate it, but I'm not a fan of bittersweet endings. I knew it was going to be like this, but I like me some pure happy endings and I'm glad there was DSOD to watch after and that there are all these fics in the fandom, where Atem gets his own body or where Kaiba brings him back.
> 
> Here's my contribution to that. I haven't found that many fan fictions that explore the relationship between Atem and Kaiba while also having a strong emphasis on Mokuba and Kaiba's brotherly relationship and not forgetting about Yugi and Atem either. It is difficult to give all the characters the attention they deserve, but I'm going to try my best and we'll see how I do.
> 
> This might end up being prideshipping, but as I just start writing I'm not yet 100% sure.
> 
> Set after DSOD. Might change rating as I write.

Seto's mind was a blur. A mess. Images of the dessert heat melted into one with those of gold and jewels. There was a beautiful woman with long light blue, nearly white hair and the kindest eyes he had ever seen. There was his Pharaoh sitting on the the throne. He stood beside him in the grand hall. He stood beside him as they fought masked villains on top of a building, where the floors were made glass and if they were to lose the game they would lose their lives too. 

He stood before him, kneeling, as he was about to become his priest and serve him with his life. 

He stood before him as an ignorant selfish boy, whose heart was filled with hate and who thought he could beat him with his dragons. 

He stood before him, a slightly different man, but still the same as they dueled again and their Ka were not kept in giant stone tablets, but in thin cards, so small they could hold tens in their hand at once. 

He stood before him as he was yet again a Pharaoh, but he was not his priest. Yet he had transcended time, space and dimension to challenge him again. To duel him. For he could not live without the challenges he presented, without his Pharaoh his existence seemed empty.

They stood before each other one more time and this was supposed to be the final time. He had had his duel and this was it. He was supposed to leave now. The dessert heat was brutal, especially when dressed head to toe in an outfit that was largely black

The Pharaoh stood before him in a outfit that looked so airy and comfortable that Seto felt a little jealous. He had a flash of vision of his priest robes. He missed them. He shook the image away.

"You're leaving," It was more of a statement than a question.

"Mokuba made me promise I'd return. I didn't actually promise in so many words, but..."

" _Of course_. Of course, you should go. Tell Mokuba I said hi. I hope he is doing well," 

"He is. Well. He has a slightly eccentric brother who's probably giving him bit of a headache, but he's fine. He's really grown a ton since you left."

Atem smiled: "That's great. And my partner, Yugi? Is he happy? Is he doing well?"

"I don't really see him enough to know for sure. He misses you. Pretty sure of that."

"I miss him too," Atem admitted, before quickly adding: "Don't tell him I said that. I don't want him to think I'm unhappy. Tell him I'm happy. If he should ask."

"Say hi to Mokuba, lie to Yugi. Got it."

"I'm not - !" Atem began and then he sighed: “It's just... I don't know. Maybe it's selfish of me, but I hope that maybe one we're all reincarnated again and get to live a fun life together. I mean you were reborn again, so maybe we can all be. I'd like to live a whole life once. I think."

Seto pinched the bridge of his nose and found he now had sand stuck on his very sweaty face. He was so thirsty. He was aware he had to leave soon and yet he refused to just shut up and leave: "Don't start with this reincarnation crap again."

"Kaiba, you're literally in the afterlife. Why are you still arguing against the idea of reincarnation?" 

Seto tried to swallow against the dryness in his mouth. It didn't help: "Right. Should I tell everyone to commit suicide then so we can hurry the process along?"

The look of absolute horror on Atem's face was almost comical: "What? No! I want them to have a happy long life! I just - wish I could have also had that."

Seto thought about that statement for a whole second, before he said: "Come with me then. Come back to the land of the living. Have the life you want."

Atem stared: "Can we - do that? Can you - bring me back with you? Is that even possible?" he sounded incredibly hopeful. 

Kaiba shrugged: "I haven't exactly tried. You're already dead. What's the worst that can happen? You can't get _more_ dead, unless there is some possibility we lose your very being in the process. Which might be as much of a possibility as anything else. I'm very much shooting in the dark here, so you may have to consider that and whether it is a risk worth taking."

"Taking risks was never something I had a problem with Kaiba," the Pharaoh said, his deep baritone accompanied by a charming playful smile. "But that - I don't belong in that world. I belong here."

"You belong wherever you choose to belong. Wherever you want to belong," Kaiba said seriously: "Don't give me that nonsense."

"Wouldn't it be cruel to my friends? They have grieved over me and now they've moved on." 

"If they've moved on that fast I'd say you rather overvalued their friendship. I haven't moved on and I don't even consider us friends. I am sure they'll be nothing but delighted to have you back. Now - if you want to come with me, come. If not, don't. Either way I'm going." Kaiba said seriously. He understood on some levels that this was a pretty big decision to make, but he really didn't have the time to have the Pharaoh go back and forth debating. He either wanted this or he didn't. 

"Will it put you in any more danger if I come along?"

"I don't think so, no."

"Can I have a moment to say good bye to everyone?"

The image of the memory of his recent visit to the dessert faded away, replaced with colours and patterns that vaguely reminded him of the polymerization card. He pried his eyes open, the world outside was much too bright. His throat was dry. He tried to turn his face away from it, but it was bight everywhere. There was a child by his side, a boy with bright purple eyes that seemed very sad, dressed in a ridiculous white suit and a purple vest and a tie. Who would make a child dress like that? Poor child. The boy cried out as he met his eyes and Seto reached out to comfort him. He loved that little boy with all his being. He could feel it in his heart. His eyes closed again against his will. 

When he opened them again his mind felt a little clearer, the child, no, Mokuba, of course it was Mokuba, it had always been Mokuba, Kaiba found it slightly worrisome that he had experienced a moment, however brief, when he didn't recognize him, was still there. He was sleeping with his head on crossed arms, kneeling before his brother's hospital bed: "That can't be comfortable," Kaiba murmured, his throat still so dry it hurt to speak. He ran his fingers through the short hair, it was enough to wake the boy. He looked up with wide eyes and Kaiba smiled softly at his younger brother: "I'm okay. I came back," he said. Mokuba frowned at him in obvious confusion and Kaiba wondered what had caused that. 

He said something, but Kaiba couldn't make out a single word. He stared at him: “What?"

There was a short word that followed as a reply, which Kaiba guessed might have been a repetition of the same question he had just asked himself, but he hadn't actually understood it. 

"Mokuba..." he said slowly and saw relief wash over his younger brother's face. Good. This was good. He offered a timid smile and then Mokuba said something again. It was a question. He could tell by the look in his eyes and the way his voice rose at the end, but the rest was all just sounds that made no proper sense to him. 

He sighed: "Mokuba, don't freak out, but I can't understand a single word you're saying."

Mokuba looked like he was going to freak out. His eyes widened and he was about to run off somewhere, but Kaiba managed to grab hold of his wrist firmly, but not too tightly: " _Mokuba_!" God, it was hard to speak with his throat so dry, but he had bigger problems right now. 

"Mokuba," he said again and thankfully Mokuba looked at him, so he could use his free hand to gesticulate: “I'm..." he placed his hand on his chest and patted it a few times: “I'm all," he repeated the motion with gesture that encompassed his bed and bit of their surroundings: "Fine," giving his brother a thumbs up seemed rather silly, but it was the clearest way to give his message that he could think of. Mokuba stared at him for a long moment. Then he started yelling at him. Kaiba could not understand a word of what he was saying, but he could get the general idea from context. Mokuba clearly thought all was not fine.

"Calm down," he said, trying to make hand movements that generally reflected his meaning, bringing them horizontally up to the height of his chest and then bringing them down in a gentle soft manner. 

Mokuba only started shouting more. He was properly freaking out about this apparently and Kaiba could feel himself slowly starting to panic too, but he tried to keep it at bay for the sake of calming his younger brother, a task he was not very successful at. He placed his index finger on his lips, but that only served to make Mokuba angrier at him. Well if he wasn't going to be reasonable, neither would he have to be.

" _What_!? You think I'm not freaking out about this?! I can't understand a single word you're saying, I'm dying for a glass of water, I have no way or telling you and _you're_ the one freaking out! _I_ should be the one freaking out!" 

Apparently shouting back had been the way to do it. Mokuba stared at his brother for a surprised moment, falling completely silent himself. Then he started to laugh, against all odds, it was a bit hysterical and Kaiba worried he might be having a mental breakdown of some sort. He was saying something, but Kaiba had no way of knowing what that was so he just stared at him blankly. Mokuba eventually quieted down and mimicked Kaiba's earlier movements, pointing to himself, then pointing at Kaiba, before making a small heart-shape with his hands. 

Kaiba rolled his eyes: "I know. You didn't have to go through all that trouble," Thankfully there was a pretty universally known sign for "come here" so Kaiba used it, Mokuba stepped a few steps closer and Kaiba rolled his eyes again and repeated the movement until Mokuba was right next to his bed, apparently him rolling his eyes at him a bit had considerably brightened his mood. Once Mokuba was close enough, Kaiba pulled him into a loose hug. The boy clung to him in response. They just held each other for a long moment, Mokuba holding him tightly, never quite relaxing, but Kaiba hoped it still made him feel a little better. 

When Mokuba pulled away he motioned that he was going outside and... coming back, apparently he had no problem with making both of his hands look like tiny men, who were walking, with a ... doctor? Probably. Made sense in the context. Kaiba nodded. Then he made some hand movements mimicking drinking and Mokuba practically dashed out to bring him a glass of water. The cold liquid felt heavenly against his dry throat. Mokuba then left to bring a doctor. Kaiba did not look forward to that part. He could make silly hand gestures at his little brother, but other people were a different deal entirely.

What followed was a frankly infuriating. The moment the doctors understood that he didn't understand what they were saying, they completely shut him out, pretending he wasn't even in the room or that he was, at best, an object to be studied. Mokuba got more and more distressed looking, so Kaiba couldn't help, but snap: "Stop scaring him further!" 

Everyone looked at him, no one understood. Kaiba crossed his arms and glared. Mokuba was the only one, who still tried to communicate with him and treat him like a human being, He wasn't stupid! He was fine. He was just speaking a language no one else here understood he had no idea how or why that had happened, but it certainly didn't make him stupid. 

What followed was apparently a series of tests to see if Kaiba had his brains still in tact. He stared at the stupid childish puzzles he was offered, things a 4 year old could do, things like spotting differences, recognizing shapes: “ _Are you all kidding me_?!" he seethed angrily. Mokuba seemed to be the only one to understand his issue as he looked apologetic. He filled in the first page furiously, but ripped the second one to pieces and threw it at their faces: “ _You mock me!_ I'm not an idiot! I'm Seto Kaiba, I could do things like this when I was in diapers!" 

The doctors seemed unamused, but there was a smile playing on Mokuba's lips. They went and got another test sheet, but Mokuba stopped them. Instead he made a phone call. Kaiba tried to listen, some irrational part of him wanting to believe he could understand his little brother if he just listened hard enough. Once the phone call was over Mokuba turned to the doctors again and they spoke for a while. Argued. Kaiba could tell by their tone. They were brushing whatever Mokuba was saying off and rubbed Seto the wrong way. 

"You should listen to him. He's smarter than all of you put together. And he knows me better than anyone."

They all looked over to him, but apparently just his tone wasn't enough to convey his meaning. Mokuba looked at him worriedly, put his hand on his brother's shoulder and said something Kaiba was sure was supposed to be comforting, He scoffed. He didn't need comforting. It made Mokuba smirk and say something else, something emotional, Kaiba guessed, he sounded fond and his eyes were shining with tears. Were they alone Kaiba might have hugged him again. Mokuba said something to the doctors and one of them left, although he didn't look happy. 

A few minutes later one of Kaiba's employees walked in and surprised Kaiba by actually acknowledging him by name. 

"Iwasaki," Kaiba replied and his employee responded with something short and what Kaiba hoped, didn't actually require a response. 

Iwasaki handed Mokuba something. Cards? Yes. Definitely cards. Mokuba handed one deck to Kaiba. It was his physical deck as he had last used it. He used virtual cards now, but he still kept his physical cards, of course. They were still worth a lot. That and he had to admit to himself there was the matter of sentimental value. Mokuba set up a little table on Kaiba's bed: "I could just get up," he said. Mokuba looked at him, confused and Kaiba just shook his head and waved it off: "Nothing." 

They switched decks, cut them and shuffled. Apparently they were dueling. He could do that. Even if he was a little offended they weren't using his Duel Disk system. The other doctor came back with a chessboard. Ah. So Mokuba had come up with less insulting ways to test whether he still had his wits. Well, he would make it extremely clear their concerns were completely unfounded. Both of the doctors came to observe. Mokuba told them something Kaiba didn't understand. They both drew 6 cards. Why _weren't_ they using Duel Disks for this? He considered gesticulating to ask, but it much too embarrassing. This way he didn't even know how many life points either of them had. Well, 4000 was the standard amount, so he supposed they were going with 4000. It didn't matter. If he didn't win at 4000 he'd have to assume it was 8000. He had a reasonably good hand and he thought he should be able to beat Mokuba in six to ten turns, depending on his hand and how he played it. But Kaiba realized something else while looking at his cards. He could _read_. He may not have been able to speak, but he was able to understand what was written under the cards perfectly well. It reminded him of the time he could understand the text under The Winged Dragon of Ra. Could it be that he was now speaking Ancient Egyptian and only able to read Japanese? He would have to find a way to communicate all of his thoughts and the fact that he was able to read to his brother somehow. If he was speaking Ancient Egyptian would Atem be able to understand? Had Atem even made it back? 

Mokuba pulled him out of his reverie. He didn't call him by his name, but that was usual. Mokuba never had, so the word he must have used must have meant "big brother". It added up. He had started half of his sentences with that word. 

_Nii-sama._ Right. He needed to remember that. "Mokuba," he said seriously. 

Mokuba looked alarmed. He asked something. Kaiba didn't know what. Even the fact that it was a question was pretty much a guess. 

"Mokuba... Atem?"

He hoped those two words were enough for Mokuba to understand his question. 

"Atem?" Mokuba just repeated. Apparently it wasn't. Could it be that he hadn't managed to bring Atem over? Did that mean he was still in the afterlife? Or had Kaiba accidentally wiped him out of existence? The thought filled him with cold dread. Besides, if Atem wasn't here with him and he was actually speaking Ancient Egyptian like he suspected, who would be able to understand him? Assuming of course that he _was_ speaking Ancent Egyptian and Atem would be able to understand him. 

"Atem," he repeated, looking at Mokuba, he gave a thumbs up then a thumbs down, then a so-so gesture, then paused, brought his hand to his neck and made a gesture like he was cutting his throat. If Atem wasn't here at all in any form, dead or alive what he was doing, would have made no sense to Mokuba. If he was, it should have been a fairly clear message now. He hoped. He couldn't know for sure. After all, he knew what he was trying to say. 

Mokuba's face was a blank mask of confusion for a terrifying moment, before realization dawned: “Ah!" Mokuba smiled brightly and gave his brother a very enthusiastic thumbs up, (He certainly seemed to be finding this less awkward than Seto did), before hesitating, repeating his brother's so-so gesture and then putting his hands together and next to his ear, closing his eyes, in a gesture than clearly meant _he's asleep_ or more likely _he's unconscious._

Kaiba nodded and hummed in response. Good. He could work with that. First he would get this duel over with and prove to the there was nothing wrong with him aside from the fact that he had lost his ability to speak his mother tongue. Turned out Mokuba was extremely serious about this duel, which was good. Kaiba never wanted a half-assed duel. He didn't want anyone to go easy on him and he didn't go easy on anyone either, not even his little brother. By the fifth turn Kaiba knew all the most important terms for dueling, such as playing a card, drawing a card, setting a card face down (had that one always sounded so much like his name?), summoning a monster and attacking with a monster. Mokuba spoke as he played and Kaiba thought he would have been able to mimic all of the things he had said, by this point. Mokuba had repeated them enough, but he wasn't sure if his pronunciation would sound natural or would it sound weird and Egyptian and only highlight to his brother the fact that he didn't actually speak the language he did. Kaiba didn't try to find out and if part of the reason why was the fact that he was feeling self-conscious, he certainly wouldn't tell anyone (not that he could tell anyone anything). He played in his own language and Mokuba played in his. 

It actually took him 14 turns to beat Mokuba. The younger boy played fiercely and Kaiba wasn't sure if it was because he wanted to make him proud, because he was worried and wanted to bring his A-game to make sure his brother was still as sharp as as ever or if it was because deep down they were quite similar and Mokuba had his pride too. Mokuba looked happy even as he lost and Kaiba was pretty sure that whatever Mokuba had said had been a compliment regarding his skills. He looked amazed. 

They did chess next. Kaiba was losing his patience, but he figured he could humour Mokuba once more. It took him 8 turns to win. Mokuba seemed to be getting rusty. Maybe they needed to play chess together more often. Either way Mokuba looked pleased and Kaiba was glad that he seemed to have calmed his brother. He gave the doctors a defiant look. They seemed impressed enough, but didn't address Kaiba. Oh well, they could ignore him if they wanted to. He only really wanted to communicate with his brother anyway. 

" _Mokuba_!" he demanded.

Mokuba looked over and Kaiba made a motion he thought was pretty clear meant writing, but Mokuba just tilted his head to the side and looked at him confusedly. He asked something, but Kaiba didn't know what. Kaiba just repeated the writing motion. Then he remembered he had actually been given a pencil and some paper before. The pencil was still there on a small table next to his bed, so he reached for it and hoped Mokuba would realize he also needed paper. Mokuba did. He gave his brother a notepad. But Kaiba couldn't write. He tried. Put the paper to the pen and... no - nothing. He understood the words looking at them, but couldn't write them out. He handed the notepad to Mokuba, who looked at him blankly. Kaiba sighed and facepalmed. 

Mokuba asked him something. Kaiba gestured to the notepad and made another writing-mimicking gesture towards the notepad. Mokuba still looked confused and Kaiba just angrily repeated his gesture. Mokuba wrote something down and showed it to his brother. 

_I don't know, what do you want me to write. I'm not even sure you could understand anything if I did._

Kaiba smiled just the tiniest bit. He could work with that. He snatched the pen from his brother's hand and underlined the word understand. Not the most elegant solution, but it would hopefully work. 

Mokuba's eyes widened a bit.

 _You can read?!!_ he wrote. 

Kaiba nodded. At this point both the doctors had left the room, but Kaiba didn't really care if they knew.

_That's amazing!!!_

Kaiba shrugged. He had been able to read for most of his life so he thought amazing was a bit of an overstatement. 

_Can you write?!_

Kaiba thought that if he could, he'd tell Mokuba to stop throwing about so many exclamation points, but just shook his head. 

_Okay. Well this is still something. At least I can tell you things. Now we just have to find a way for you to communicate with me. Well, a better way. I can sort of understand most of the important stuff so far._

Kaiba rolled his eyes a bit but nodded. Mokuba was writing something again, clearly relieve to have this method of communication opened to him. 

_I'm so glad you're back! I was so (!) worried about you._

Kaiba had nothing to say to that, so he just nodded again to indicate that he understood what was being written. 

_Are you feeling okay?? You seem like yourself. You just speak a different language._

Kaiba thought he felt a bit stupid gesticulating as he nodded and gave Mokuba a thumbs up, but didn't try to communicate that. He was fine. More or less.

_Good. I'm going to write down everything the doctors told me, so that you'll know as well._

Kaiba didn't get the chance to shake his head as Mokuba was already writing. God, that would take forever. He had other things to get to. Everything Mokuba wrote down what could really be summarized in one sentence that he found in Mokuba's notes: _they have no idea why you're speaking another language right now._

Kaiba scoffed and tried to get out of bed, but Mokuba placed one hand on his chest firmly while he wrote. 

_Where do you think you're going?_

"Atem," Kaiba decided. He wanted to see him. See if he was perhaps wake now. If he could understand him. If he was okay. 

_You don't even know, where he is. You can't just get up, there are vials and wiring and... stuff attached to you. Stay there. I'll get someone._

Kaiba made a sound that he hoped conveyed how fed up he was with all of this. 

Mokuba sighed too _I know. But I'm serious. Stay put. I'll get someone. I'll be quick. WAIT FOR ME!!! Okay?_

Kaiba hummed in acknowledgement and nodded.

The whole thing wasn't quick. Kaiba was sure Mokuba did his best to make things move along, but it took ages arguing back and forth with the doctors, especially when Mokuba took time to write the arguments down for Seto to follow and ask for this thoughts and feelings. He did appreciate the thought, so he tried not to complain too much. 

Eventually Kaiba was freed from the confines of his hospital bed. He went straight to his little brother, who had decided to wait in the hallway, while they had removed all the vials and things from Kaiba's person. "Atem," he said decidedly. God, it was frustrating only being able to say names. Mokuba nodded and took out his notepad again. 

_I'll take you to him._

They walked down a narrow light blue hallway, Kaiba feeling slightly out of place in his hospital pajamas, especially when Mokuba was dressed in a white suit and tie. He wanted his own clothes. And a shower. Well, he'd get to explaining that eventually. The Pharaoh, or well, former Pharaoh, Kaiba supposed, was lying in a hospital bed in a room identical to the one Kaiba had just left from. He looked a bit bare without all his fancy jewelry and Kaiba wondered what had become of it. He would have assumed it had travelled here with him so maybe it was still somewhere. He stood by the sleeping man for a moment, before yelling from the top of his lungs: "Stop lying around unconscious, you idiot! I need to talk to you!" He could hear the sound of Mokuba's pen scratching against paper and he looked over to see the following message.

_Yelling at him is not going to help, big brother._

Kaiba looked back at Atem, whose eyes were slowly fluttering open: “Hah! Clearly you're wrong, Mokuba."

Mokuba was writing something again, but Kaiba's eyes were locked with Atem's for the moment. He was slowly coming around, blinking into consciousness: “Kaiba...?"

"Yes. Good. You're awake. I have things I need to ask you," Kaiba announced, not even waiting for the man to wake up properly: "My first question being, do you understand anything I'm saying?"

Mokuba was showing his notepad in front of Kaiba's face. It read: _Okay, I need to learn to expect that even the stupidest of your plans will always work._

Kaiba scoffed: "None of my plans are stupid, Mokuba."

Atem was taking an annoying amount of time to wake up, but Kaiba was trying to be patient as he sat up and looked at his hands, moving them and running one palm over his other arm as if it was some kind of a miracle he was there. Well, Kaiba supposed it was like that a bit: "We made it?!" he asked and Kaiba was insanely relieved to realize he understood the words coming out of Atem's mouth. This may have meant that things would be more difficult for the ex-Pharaoh in the long run, but right now Kaiba was nothing but relived.

"Of course we made it," Kaiba scoffed as if he had been certain of it all along. 

"You... you brought me back to life! I have a body! _My own body_!" he sounded ecstatic and Kaiba decided to let him have a moment to enjoy this, before he'd tell Atem that he would be the only person to understand him. He did not expect that Atem would lounge himself at him and hug him at the next moment. 

"Yes. It appears you do," Kaiba agreed stiffly, his whole body ramrod straight while Atem had his arms wrapped around him, still sitting on the hospital bed. Kaiba looked at Mokuba desperately hoping for some help, but Mokuba looked... pleased? Amused? Something along these lines. Thankfully Atem seemed to realize how uncomfortable Kaiba was a moment later and pulled back, looking embarrassed: “Sorry, I ... eh... I got carried away."

"It's fine. I can let it slide this once. Seeing as you just got back to being a physical being and all," Kaiba decided, still sounding a little uncomfortable and stiff. 

"I can't believe it! I'm alive! I get to have a _life_ , Kaiba! In my own body. How amazing is that? I get to do things other than play cards. Oh, don't look at me like that. I still want want to play, just... I get to do ... so many _more_ things."

"Yes," Kaiba agreed seriously. 

Atem now also noticed Mokuba and directed his happy ecstatic energy towards the younger Kaiba: "Mokuba! Wow, look at you, looking all sharp in that outfit. Why are you wearing that to a hospital? Ah, well, what am I saying. You're Kaiba's brother, you both love to dress dramatically - "

Kaiba scoffed at that. 

"Well, you look great! That look really suits you! Very grown up!" Atem complimented. 

Mokuba just stared with a polite friendly smile, clearly not understanding a single word. He wrote something on his notepad and showed it to Seto.

_You two speak the same language, right?_

Kaiba nodded and Mokuba flipped to the next page that read. 

_You haven't told him yet, have you?_

Kaiba shook his head. Atem was looking between the two of them, looking more and more worried: "Kaiba, why is Mokuba writing things out for you on a .... thing."

Kaiba was about to tell Atem what the thing was called when he realized the closest word he had in his vocabulary was a word for a scroll that obviously wasn't right, but he didn't have a word for the notepad Mokuba was holding. He knew what it was, he simply didn't have a word for it. 

"Notice how you know what it is, but not what's it called?"

"Yes, that is weird," Atem agreed: "What is it called?"

"I think it's not called anything. There's no word for it, because scrolls like that don't exist in the Egypt you are from."

Atem blinked: "But we're no longer there."

Kaiba sighed: "Yeah. Okay, try not to freak out. I need to tell you something."

Kaiba looked straight at Atem, who he found was looking at him very seriously, clearly ready for bad news: "Can I not stay here after all?" he asked, quieter than Kaiba would have expected. There was already such sadness in his eyes at the mere thought although he was clearly trying to keep a straight face. 

" _No_! You can! It's nothing serious. It's very annoying if anything."

Atem nodded and waited for Kaiba to explain: "You and I, we speak a language no one else here does. I think it might be your language. Egyptian. I can no longer speak..." Kaiba found there wasn't a word for his former language in his vocabulary either. Well, the country as it was now certainly hadn't existed and the language in anything like it's current form hadn't either, do it made sense there was no word for it: "whatever language I spoke before."

Atem took a moment to take that in: "What language were we speaking when we met in the afterlife?"

"I have no idea. We just - understood each other. I didn't stop to think about it and even thinking back I can't be sure."

Atem nodded: "It would make sense that I can't speak... whatever it is everyone else speaks, but why can't you? You've always been able to."

Kaiba shifted uncomfortably: "I don't know! I think... the trip rattled some things up in my brain. I remember things I didn't remember before. I - have an alarming amount of memories of being your High Priest."

"You remember your past life!?" Kaiba couldn't tell if Atem was just shocked or a bit excited as well. 

"Not all of it. Just... loads more than I did before. I've been trying not to think about it. When I woke up I couldn't recognize Mokuba, but by now all my memories of my actual life have returned. I think. It doesn't feel like there are gaps, I remember my awful childhood, my terrible stepfather, starting to run my own - - um - business." He felt like there had been a better word for it once, but now he didn't have it. 

Mokuba shoved his notepad in front of Kaiba's face. _What are you guys talking about? I heard my name._

Kaiba just looked at him, made a vague gesture and shrugged. Then, getting an idea he grabbed the notepad and and pen, flipped back in Mokuba's notes and underlined the word language. 

Mokuba nodded and wrote. 

_How's he taking it?_

Kaiba turned to Atem: "I can still read apparently. So Mokuba's been writing things down. He wants to know how you're taking all this."

Atem looked over to Mokuba wondering what he could say that the boy could understand. He came to the same conclusion Kaiba had earlier, giving the younger boy a thumbs up: "I mean, I'm alive. I can't complain."

"You're allowed to. I've been complaining since I woke up. Now finally someone can understand me."

Atem laughed: "Yeah, well, for you things actually got worse. He looked guilty: "I'm sorry." 

"Don't be. This was all my own doing," Kaiba said seriously: "Besides. You're alive. Doesn't seem like a bad trade off. Giving my ability to speak a language I can easily re-learn in turn for someone to be able to live."

Kaiba didn't think he had said anything particularly moving, but Atem looked terribly moved still: "Thank you, Kaiba. It means a lot." 

Mokuba shoved his notepad in front of Kaiba once again. 

_I can't understand anything either of you are saying. It's super frustrating. Can Atem read?_

Kaiba yanked the notepad from Mokuba's hands and practically threw it at Atem: "Can you read this?"

Atem looked down and the words and shook his head: "No. Sorry, Mokuba," he said, addressing the younger Kaiba and handed it back back with a small smile. Mokuba smiled back and made a gesture that seemed to indicate Atem shouldn't worry too much about not being able to read. 

"Can you write? In what we speak?" 

"Oh," Atem held out his hand for Mokuba's notepad again. The boy seemed confused, so Kaiba sighed and once again just pulled the notepad from Mokuba's hand. He was a little too rough and the edges of the loose papers actually gave Mokuba a paper cut. Kaiba threw both the notepad and the pen at Atem. 

"Kaiba! Ra, we have time! You don't have to bloody up your brother!" Atem shouted. 

Mokuba was shouting something at Kaiba too, but other than the word "Nii-sama" Kaiba understood nothing. Mokuba looked at his bloody hand, said something sharp and stomped out of the room. Kaiba sighed. There went his only connection to the outside world. 

"You need to be patient. This is weird for him too, besides how is he supposed to understand every movement of your hand perfectly," Atem sounded a lot calmer now, but it only seemed to rile Kaiba up. 

"It was a paper cut you're acting as if I tried to saw his arm off!" he screamed. "Besides I didn't mean to hurt him," he added more quietly: “I just - getting a simple concept across takes me 10 minutes now. If we could speak the same language I'd likely be discharged by now. I'd at the very least know how my business is doing. How Mokuba has handled things. How _he_ is doing. He... doesn't look like he's had much sleep, but that could either be because he's been worried about me or because things are going badly with - Kaiba ....," he growled: "How do I not know the name of my own - thing!" He felt like hitting his head against the wall repeatedly. "Maybe I should let the doctors look at my brain a bit more," he sank into the little foldable chair next to Atem's bed and stared at the ceiling. 

Atem didn't say anything, which annoyed Kaiba a great deal. He was the only person that could talk to him, so the least he could do was talk “He didn't approve of me going. Worried I might not make it back."

"Well, it was pretty crazy what you did," Atem agreed. 

Kaiba smirked: “It worked. And besides, I would have never just _left_ Mokuba. I had a few back up plans too, but - leaving him for good was unacceptable. Despite what people think I am aware of the fact that I'm his only family."

"I know you are," Atem said seriously: “It's just - I think you forget failure is a possibility." 

"It isn't," Kaiba said seriously. "Failure is not an option."

"You're not immortal, Kaiba."

"I'll solve that problem once I'm old enough," Kaiba said with a smug smirk. Atem clearly couldn't tell if he was joking.

"Yeah, well, you might actually be able to," Atem said, looking at his body again : “I'm here."

Mokuba came back and Kaiba was visibly relieved to see him. He had some bloody paper towels wrapped around his finger. He went and got the notepad from Atem, stared at what he had written.

"Oh. I can write by the way," Atem said. 

Mokuba got turned a new page, wrote something down and handed the notepad to his brother. 

_I'm sorry that I can't understand everything you're trying to tell me and I'm sorry I lashed out, but you can't get mad at me. I'm doing the best I can!_

Kaiba sighed and ran his hand over his face.

"What is it?" Atem asked. 

"He thinks I'm mad at him."

"Well you're acting like it."

"I'm mad at the situation! Not him!" Kaiba snapped. 

Mokuba was writing something down again. 

_You better not be telling Atem how I'm useless and awful at this._

Kaiba shook his head. He reached for the notepad and waited until Mokuba handed it to him. Then he stood up, went to stand behind him, so the notepad was in front of them and started underlining things. 

_I'm sorry_ he underlined the words with a double line and added a period. He paused, before underlining _I'm useless and awful at this._

Mokuba shook his head and reached for the pen. 

_You're brilliant, big brother! You brought Atem back to life! Look at how happy he was when he woke up. It's amazing. You defeated death itself. We'll figure this language thing out._

Kaiba hummed in agreement and went to stand so that Mokuba could see him nod. Mokuba was writing again.

_So Atem can write, but not read Japanese._

Kaiba nodded. 

_Can you read what Atem wrote?_

Kaiba took the notepad and looked at Atem's message. 

_Thank you for bringing me back, my priest._

Kaiba rolled his eyes, but nodded, before telling Atem: "I'm not your priest anymore. You can't order me around anymore."

"Oh, _I know_ , you've made that very clear from all the previous interactions we've had."

Mokuba had written something for Kaiba again. 

_Okay. Cool. So - do you have any ideas about what we should do next?_

Kaiba nodded and then took a while to think about how he might communicate his ideas. 

"Do you want to see your friends now?" he asked Atem.

Atem beamed: “Yes! Do you think I could?" 

"They won't understand you, but I suppose you can sort of make gestures at them the way me and Mokuba do. Mokuba wanted to know what I think we should do, so I'm thinking. We need to get you - a backstory and documentations and things. Unless Mokuba already has. We need to have doctors look at you and do this thing, where they give you a bit of the illness, so you don't get ill."

"I'm sorry, what?" Atem asked. 

"There's a thing, we do. We put things in your body, so you don't get sick. Once they give it to you you won't get certain illnesses."

Atem looked a bit confused, but Kaiba figured such subjects probably never came up when he was dueling with Yugi to save the world: "That sounds brilliant actually."

"It is. It's why we don't die at 25 anymore, but all of that is a bit harder to explain so I guess I'll start with Mokuba telling your friends you're alive. That and the translation issue. "

"I hope they take it well," Atem said, but Kaiba had already turned his attention to Mokuba.

"Mokuba!" 

Mokuba stood straight and gave a mock salute. Kaiba rolled his eyes: "First," he held up one finger, before making a gesture he thought was pretty universal for "on the phone" _: "Ishizu Ishtar.. Marik Ishtar."_

Mokuba nodded. Wrote. _You think they might help us with our little language barrier problem?_

Kaiba nodded.

_Shall I call them?_

Another nod. 

_Ask them to come here?_

And another. 

_Okay. I'll bring them on the company plane if we must._

Kaiba was once again starting to feel a bit silly, but he nodded again. 

_Okay. What next?_

Kaiba made another sign for phoning: “Yugi...," he gestured towards Atem with both hands and made a mockingly happy face as if Atem was a prize in a game show. 

_I call Yugi and tell him Atem is alive?_ Mokuba wrote. 

Another nod. 

_Right. That's going to be an interesting phone call to make. If he wants to come here, can he?_

Nod. 

_What about Atem's other friends? Jounouchi and Honda and Otogi and the rest?_

Kaiba made a pained sound, but nodded. 

_They can come too?_

Kaiba nodded. 

Mokuba sighed and said something, before he remembered he had to write it. 

_Okay. Anything else?_

Kaiba took the notepad. He had to draw Mokuba a picture. He had no other choice. He drew what he hoped looked like a passport and drew Atem's face in the picture slot. Thank God for his ridiculous hair, making him easy to recognize. Then he drew syringes and a nurse (whom he may have drawn a bit like nurse Lily from Duel Monsters) and Atem and gave Mokuba the notepad back. His brother took frustratingly long just looking at it. 

_You want me to get Atem documentation to be able to live here? And - doctors to look at him and - give him vaccines? (I'm sorry if I'm wrong. Your drawing is great, but it's still hard)._

Kaiba decided to switch things up a bit and gave Mokuba a thumbs up. 

_Okay. I think we'll start with doctors looking him over and the vaccines and then we need someone who can translate and we need them fast. My hand is cramping. And I'll call Yugi as well. I'm sure he'll want to come over. Okay. I'll get to work. Will you be okay? Do you need anything else?_

Kaiba looked at himself, then pulled at his hospital clothes and made a disdained face.

_You want new clothes? Your own clothes?_

Kaiba nodded. 

Mokuba looked positively exhausted at the mountain of tasks before him, but he still wrote. 

_Anything else?_

Kaiba shook his head. 

_Anything Atem needs?_

"Atem do you need anything?" Kaiba turned to the man in bed. 

"A glass of water would be nice."

Kaiba turned to Mokuba and made the same drinking gesture that had gotten him some water earlier. Mokuba nodded. 

_I'll be a bit. Can you maybe handle the water thing? There's a vending machine outside. I'm leaving you some cash._

Mokuba put a stack of money and some coins from his wallet on the small table next to Atem's bed. It was far too much money for a vending machine, but Kaiba supposed Mokuba took after him a bit. It made him feel strangely warm inside. 

"What's all that for?" Atem asked. 

"Mokuba pointed out that I can get you water myself from the... thing that gives food." 

"A marketplace? All of _that_ for a glass of water? Has something happened while I was gone? I remember water not costing that much."

"No not from the ... marketplace. There are these little boxes with food inside and you put numbers in and food drops out."

"Ah. Yes. These ones. I remember. They're nice, but still, all that for that?"

Mokuba called for Atem and Kaiba as he stood at the door, waving. Kaiba thought that was rather overdramatic, but he waved back nonetheless. Atem waved too: "Where is he going?"

"To do the things I asked of him. And no, you don't need all that. Mokuba and I are just filthy rich," Kaiba smirked proudly. 

Atem smiled right back at him, equally smug: "I know what that's like. I mean - I was The Pharaoh after all."

"Now you're poor again," he pointed out teasingly. 

"Yeah. I'll have to get a job," It seemed that a bunch of realizations suddenly hit Atem at once as his mouth dropped open: “But I don't speak the language. How will I get a job? Where will I _live until I have no money_?"

"You'll learn," Kaiba shrugged: "I worked my way up from nothing... in both of my lives. I think."

Atem smiled: "You did. It was very impressive. I was always in awe of you." 

Kaiba stared back at Atem: " _You were?"_ he asked and he felt his heart beat faster in his chest. Suddenly he felt like he was Priest Seto again and his Pharaoh was here and his Pharaoh was impressed with him and he felt so ... honoured... so ... _happy_. Kaiba shook his head. He wasn't Priest Seto. He was Seto Kaiba and Seto Kaiba didn't care what Atem thought of him. 

"I was. Everyone were."

Kaiba scoffed: "I never cared what everyone thought."

Atem smiled knowingly: "But you cared about what I thought?"

"I suppose Priest Seto did. I am not him though," Kaiba said decidedly and got up: “I'm getting you that water, my Phar- " he froze: “I' _m getting water_!" he went and snatched the money off the table and practically ran out of the room, but he still heard Atem laugh at him and say: "I'll be waiting, my Priest." 

"I'm not your Priest!" Seto called back. 

He went to the nearest vending machine and tried to calm down. He saw Mokuba standing in the far end of the hallway, talking on the phone and Kaiba wondered, who he was talking to. From his body language Kaiba would have guessed he was making a business call. So maybe Ishizu was most likely. Or maybe he was arranging something else that was related to their plans. A plane? Already? Had he finished his call with Ishtars already or was he just assuming they would come? Would he simply not take no for an answer? Kaiba shook his head. Mokuba could handle this. He'd just trust him and let him handle this while he handled mundane and simple things simpletons, who couldn't speak their mother tongue did. Like buying water. He bought the water as well as sodas and some candies. The vending machine had some of those jelly drinks you shook and then could drink, so he took those too. They even had canned bread here. That was unusual. Kaiba was mildly impressed as he got some. Mokuba liked those and Kaiba wasn't sure when he had last eaten. He himself often forgot to eat when he was busy and Mokuba was very busy and seemed to be a bit overwhelmed. The least Kaiba could do was put some sugar into him. Make sure he didn't collapse entirely.

When he returned Atem was surrounded by doctors: "Oh, thank Ra, you're back. There are all these people here and I can't understand a word they're saying!"

"Oh don't worry, they can't understand you either," Kaiba said with an amused smirk as he sat back on the little chair he had sat on before and cracked open a soda: "Catch!" he threw a water bottle at the former Pharaoh and Atem caught it without hesitation. The doctors made impressed noises. Kaiba smirked: "Think they liked that."

"They keep poking me and shoving lights into my eyes!" 

"Oh that's nothing. Soon they'll give you puzzles that will insult your intelligence." 

"Why?"

"Because clearly people, who don't speak a language you understand are idiots," Kaiba said sarcastically. Atem had drank practically the entire bottle of water now. 

"If you were that thirsty you could have said so sooner."

"I had other things on my mind. Is there more?"

"Catch!" Kaiba threw another bottle. Atem caught it without hesitation. 

"Thanks. Hey, Kaiba?"

"Mmm?"

"Can you, maybe... please not leave, before they do?"

"Sure," Kaiba understood perfectly well how frightening it was to be in a room, where no one understood you. He was starting to feel a bit anxious every time Mokuba left him and technically anyone could have written words on pieces of paper for him. Mokuba was just the only one who bothered to pay attention to him enough to understand him. Maybe it was also the fact that he knew him better than anyone. Yeah, that must have been part of it too. 

Mokuba was gone for a while. Kaiba had eaten one of the jars of jelly and one of the cans of breads in his absence. Atem and he were both pretty sure one of the doctors had tried telling him eating those wasn't a good idea right now, but he had feigned ignorance. They had also started with the stupid tests on Atem.

"You're right, these do insult my intelligence," Atem sounded a bit pissed too, but he was still filling all the sheets out. He really had more patience than Kaiba: "I could do all of those before I could walk." 

"I'm sure I was smarter than that, before I was even born," Kaiba said and Atem actually laughed.

"Yeah. I'm sure you were."

One of the Kaiba Corp employees walked in and Kaiba was so happy to see them, he nearly smiled, before remembering to school his face into a serious mask: “Yamamoto!" He still sounded a bit too happy for his own liking, but he missed people, who respected and paid actual attention to him. 

"Seto-sama," Yamamoto said, bowed slightly and handed Kaiba a pile of books, newspaoers, two sets of coloured markers, 5 notepads, a tape recorder, a laptop, scissors, glue and a set of headphones. Yamamoto said something about Mokuba, which Kaiba assumed meant Mokuba had had these things delivered to him. He nodded and watched the man leave. 

Why had Mokuba gotten him books? He flipped through the titles, they were very versatile, from light romance novels and fairy tale books to travel guides and history books on Ancient Egypt and Japan. Did Mokuba think he'd be that bored he'd need all that reading? No. Markers. He could use these to highlight words to put together sentences and form his thoughts. He supposed Mokuba had even thought he might want to cut up the books and form ransom-note-like letters with them: "Wow, he's amazing. He's so nice sometimes I forget he's a proper genius too."

Atem snorted: "Are you talking about Mokuba? Is there some rule against geniuses being allowed to be nice?"

"No, but... still," Kaiba was looking through the books and also found a Japanese textbook for beginners that came with a tape you could listen. Perfect. More than a little embarrassing, but perfect. From what Mokuba had summarized the doctors had speculated his language skills might return on his own, but Kaiba didn't like empty speculations and he liked sitting around waiting for something to happen even less. Mokuba clearly understood this. He pulled the plastic off the book and the tape, dropped the mess on the floor carelessly and put the tape in the machine. 

"What's that?"

"A thing that plays music and such."

Atem scoffed: "No, I _know_ what it is... what's on that specific one?"

"Oh. It's for studying the language that Mokuba speaks."

Atem snorted. 

"What?" Kaiba snapped.

"The language that Mokuba speaks. And all of the other people here."

"Other people don't matter," Kaiba announced and plugged the headphones into the player.

"Can I borrow that later?"

"Sure. Or I'll buy you one," Kaiba offered. 

"Thank you."

Kaiba nodded, put the headphones on, opened the textbook on the first page and listened to the obnoxiously cheerful music that was bound to drive him insane if it played before each chapter. Language studies usually assumed you were studying based on another language, but this book was thankfully Japanese all over. Kaiba had no problem following the inane simpleton dialogue, where two people had the most unrealistic conversation about the the reasons they wanted to study a language he had ever read. Then again, his reason was that he had used a space elevator to get to the afterlife and had forgotten how to speak his native tongue, so who was he to complain. 

Seto was so busy listening to the riveting conversation in chapter 3 about buying 5 loafs of bread and a bottle of milk that he had completely missed Mokuba coming back and didn't notice him before he pulled one of his headphones off. Mokuba's eyes were a bit red. Was he that tired or had he been crying?

"Well, how did it go?" he asked, even if his little brother would not understand the words. He'd get the meaning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this might come as a surprise to you, (not) but I am not an expect in Ancient Egyptian language or history. I have studied Japanese, but I am no expert on that either. Still, I tried to follow some logic as I wrote this, although as I thought about this, I realize a few things are still a bit illogical, but I this is the best I can do. Also - there's magic in this universe! Some of this is just magic. Maybe. (Lazy explanation is lazy.) 
> 
> \- Basically it is I think safe to assume that Ancient Egyptian would lack most of modern terminology for things and concepts that didn't exist then. I do try to put some research into what did and what didn't, but if you feel like correcting me in the comments, please do.Therefore, as these terms don't exist neither Kaiba or Atem will have words for these things (we will come back to this problem in later chapters and solve it) and as they speak there will be times, where they find they don't have a word for many things.
> 
> \- Kaiba (and Atem for the most part) are still aware of these concepts and things even if they don't have words for it, therefore everywhere that is not spoken dialogue such terms will still exist. He is also able to think about these concepts. (I am aware of the view some people hold, which is that if a concept doesn't exist in a language people can't be aware of it, I don't really think I agree with that in any way anyways, but within the confides of this fic, I certainly don't. We must remember thoughts aren't just language, they can also be imagery, it's just that a story is told with words. )
> 
> \- Kaiba can also still read modern Japanese and understand the words of modern concepts there. He just has no idea how to pronounce these words (and yes, I'm aware that not everything is kanji and lots of modern words are written in katakana, which is based on pronunciation, but let's pretend it still works, cause like - I also often understand a word looking at it when I study a language, but I might not know how to say it... yeah. Let's not think about it too much. )
> 
> \- I'm also aware that there are differences between the language I am writing in and the language the characters speak in terms of sentence structure and grammar logic. I might occasionally address that and I do think about it somewhat, but I'm not driving myself crazy over it either. If something really bothers you a lot, tell me. 
> 
> If you'd enjoyed this, if you didn't, if you'd like to debate me on the logic I presented, please do so. I love comments so very VERY much.
> 
> Yugi and the rest of the squad will meet you all in the next chapter.
> 
> I edit my stuff myself so if you notice any mistakes I missed, tell me.


	2. No one else in the entire world

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Told from Mokuba's POV. Just in case someone gets confused.

The moment Mokuba stepped out of the hospital room, where his brother and Atem currently were, he felt like the world was going to come crashing down on him. 

He had been so relieved, when his brother had come back from his trip in one piece, when all the initial tests came back with promising results and doctors were saying the worst that had happened was the fact that Kaiba was dehydrated. They all seemed fairly confident he would wake up and be back just like before and so Mokuba was positive too. He believed in his brother after all. He could do everything, he was practically all powerful. That belief had only been cemented harder when instead of coming alone Seto had brought a living breathing Atem with him. The man everyone had thought was permanently dead. The man everyone had grieved, but his brother had been certain he could bring him back and if he hadn't succeeded the first time around he had gone and yanked him out of the afterlife. Mokuba had hoped it wasn't by force, but any inkling of worries he had in that department had melted away the moment he saw the look of pure and utter disbelief and joy on Atem's face when he woke. For a brief moment he had looked simply overjoyed and even as he had learned of the difficult situation he was in, he was still radiant and happy. It was in the way he smiled and in the soft way he spoke to Mokuba. He even sounded warm and friendly when talking to his aggravated and frustrated big brother. 

His big brother. Mokuba swallowed against a lump in his throat. He was being stupid and more than a little selfish. Seto was fine. He could see it in the sharpness of his gaze when he thought and in the softness in his eyes when he looked at Mokuba, in the little coughs, hums and frustrated "tch" sounds, he made, same as ever, in his body language, but Seto had never been particularly articulate in expressing feelings and his innermost thoughts and now there was a whole other wall between them. A wall that both of them tried desperately to break to reach each other.

The selfish part came in regarding Kaiba Corporation. Mokuba had hoped that once his big brother was back he would help Mokuba clean up the mess that was the New Duel Links Solid Vision System. Turned out people were less than happy with it. It was too realistic. Turned out people didn't want their virtual reality to be so realistic that they could no longer tell the difference between what was real and what was not. Both brothers had thought they were past the Uncanny Valley, but it seemed in some weird way, they were still in it. And then there was the matter of Duel Links related injuries. Sure, there had always been some stupid kids who managed to get themselves hurt by dueling in dangerous places (really Seto himself did that too), but the new system was so immersive and realistic that attacks would actually send you flying across the room. Much as that was cool in a professional tournament setting, when regular kids played with it, they got hurt. They had already had 5 lawsuits by the time Mokuba had managed to create an update patch that for safety reasons limited some of the more realistic aspects, but as it had made some people complain less, others had pointed out that it defeated the point of Kaiba's idea of it being super realistic and they were right too, but Mokuba knew that people getting hurt while playing was not what they wanted either. He had yet to find a perfect solution. Even if he made it so that people could adjust the impact levels themselves in the settings, that wouldn't ensure that children still wouldn't play with it on higher settings and get hurt. Maybe he could develop a Parental Controls thing? Either way their stock was already plummeting and these were just some of the concerns people had with the new system. There were so many it made Mokuba's head hurt just thinking about it. Seto had left just after the public launch so all the aftermath was on Mokuba's young shoulders. It was threatening to crush him and just as he had hoped that his brother would be back and they could figure everything out together, harsh cold reality hit him in the face with the fact that his brother couldn't speak.

Mokuba took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. They would break that wall between them. Seto was a genius and he was one too, albeit perhaps a little less so. They would figure this out. He would solve one problem at a time and he would not break down. Big brother had never broken down. He had built this amazing life for them all on his own, while Mokuba was holding on to the back of his shirt and he had never complained, never once had he acted as if Mokuba wasn't there to help him enough, so Mokuba would do the same thing now. He would act strong and confident and manage everything - somehow. He had to. He owed it to Seto to keep their company in good form when he couldn't. 

In his eyes getting rid of the language barrier between them was the most important thing. He wasn't sure if Seto would agree, but he felt they could deal with the business side of things afterwards. He thought Seto might have felt the same, because he hadn't asked about the company, but maybe he just couldn't think of a way to do it. How could he make communication easier for his brother? Seto could read, but not write, but if he gave him enough words... a dictionary? No. Too uncomfortable. It required knowing the word before you saw it. Seto couldn't count on that. Books with different topics in different genres might actually be a better idea. He could highlight the words he needed. He could even cut them out from pages, glue them on paper and "write" letters. Yes, that would work. 

Mokuba walked to the end of the hallway and made a phone call: "It's me. I need you to deliver some things to the President or find someone who can as soon as possible. Right now basically. Make a list. I need books, different genres, give me love stories and romance with fairly simple language, some books about business and finance, if they're about the technology and gaming sector that'd be great, someone recently wrote this populistic scandal-driven garbage about how Seto is a dictator and we're an evil capitalistic company, that one, yes, some travel guides about Japan, something about the history of Ancient Egypt, something about Pharaohs would be great, maybe a beginners guide to Duel Monsters as well and... some classic fairy tales. Okay, got all that?"

Once he got conformation from the other side he continued: "I need markers, different colours, get two sets, scissors and glue." Kaiba was a technological man so maybe he'd prefer a more high tech approach. Mokuba wasn't sure how well he could handle a laptop without being able to type, but if children who could barely read could do stuff online, so could his genius of a brother, he imagined: “Buy one of the semi-high end laptops or get one that we have, but make sure it isn't password protected," he wasn't sure if Kaiba could type them in, he thought they were the sort of thing that might be muscle memory, but he didn't want to put Seto in a situation, where he was made to feel stupid.

"I think that's it. No wait..." Maybe Seto would want to get ahead and just start studying the language right away? It was more than likely. He wouldn't have the patience for cutting and pasting words for long, digitally or manually, didn't matter, it was slow: "Get me some Japanese textbooks. Really basic ones for someone that doesn't speak any and make sure they aren't based on another language like English. They should be just pure Japanese. And make sure they come with listening materials like cassette tapes or CDs and if they do, which they must do, it's not optional - ," After all this kind of language study would only work if Seto could hear the words and also read them, Mokuba thought, maybe there was another way, but he couldn't think of it right now: "Also buy something portable to listen it from. A player of some sort."

"I see and where should I deliver this to?" a voice from the other end of the line asked. 

"To the President, in the hospital. He's currently in Atem-sama's room." 

"Understood."

"Very well. I expect them to be delivered when I'm back with the President in - about half an hour."

"V-very well, Mokuba-sama. It will be so."

Mokuba smiled. He could be strict too when had to: "Very well."

He ended the call. One down, two to go. He thought he'd call Marik and Ishizu first, but found he didn't have their number, so he was forced to call back to corporate: "Hello, it's me. Can you get me Ishizu Ishtar and Mark Ishtar's private numbers please? They should be in the database, she has called us before. Text them to me as soon as you can, I need them quickly."

"Yes, Mokuba-sama. I'll be right on it. We have some new complaints about the - "

"I'll deal with all the complaints the moment I can. Has someone died from using our product?"

"No, sir, there haven't been any injuries since you updated the patch, but -," 

"Good. Then it's not more important than the fact that President is currently in the hospital, yes?"

The woman on the other end, Mio was her name, sounded terribly flustered: "Yes, of course I am terribly sorry. I do hope Seto-sama will make a quick recovery. I will get the numbers you need." 

"Thank you," Mokuba ended the call. He'd have to call Yugi next. God, how would he even go about making that call. He sighed and leaned against the white drywall. From the corner of his eye he saw his brother, standing in front of the vending machine holding a pile of stuff in his arms. He looked strangely vulnerable in his hospital clothes, standing barefoot with a ton of food awkwardly in his arms. Mokuba wanted to go to him and hug him. He wanted to bury his face into his chest and have a good cry. Tell him his head hurt. Have him hold him and stroke his hair and... fix everything. 

These were childish fantasies of course. He needed to fix things himself. At least big brother was here. He was alive. He was sane (as sane as he had ever been) and maybe, just maybe he could still help him fix things too. He could bring back the dead after all. He could do anything. 

Mokuba's phone rang. He stared at the foreign number in confusion and picked up: “Kaiba Mokuba, Vice President of Kaiba Corporation speaking," 

"Hello, Mokuba," a soft female voice rang in his ear. 

"Ishizu! I just wanted to call you."

"Yes your secretary called me and said you might."

Mokuba was a bit annoyed that the secretary hadn't actually followed his instructions and texted him the number, instead having Ishizu call him: "Yes, it's about my brother and The Pharaoh."

"Okay," Ishizu said and it was clear from her tone she had no idea where this was going. 

"I'm not sure if you're aware, but my brother recently went to the afterlife to duel Yu- Atem and - well - he brought him back to life."

"He disturbed the eternal resting of The Pharaoh and then yanked him back to the world of the living against his will?" Ishizu had gone from calm and collected to furious in an instant, although she was still speaking relatively quietly, not yelling. 

"Hey! There was no disturbing and yanking... I'm pretty sure there wasn't. I'm certain this is what Atem wanted. My brother just went there to duel him, not to bring him back, but Atem - he's so happy to be alive. He hugged Seto. He. Hugged. Seto. You should have seen it!" 

"I'm quite happy I didn't see it, the whole thing fills my heart with great sadness, the Pharaoh's soul has been trapped for thousands of years, unable to rest and now when he is finally put to rest, not even a year later, your brother brings him back yet again to wander the Earth. Seto Kaiba will pay a horrid price for meddling with fate and the way things are supposed to be. "

"Are you not listening to me?! He was happy to be here! He wants to be alive. None of you people ever asked him what _he_ wanted! You just told him what he had to do. You gave him two awful choices, neither of which he liked and now when my brother, my _brilliant_ genius of a brother has come up with a third no one else even thought of, you're shaming him for it! Stop. That's not why I'm calling you. I don't need you to read me morale. Besides, I thought Nii-sama proved to you that fate can be changed. "

Ishizu sighed: "Some things should be. Others shouldn't. Why do you call me, child?"

Mokuba let out an annoyed sound so similar to that of his brother's when he was annoyed: "Tch. I'm not a _child_. But I'm calling you, because I need you to be an interpreter. When Atem and Seto returned, neither of them could speak Japanese. They both only speak Ancient Egyptian. Atem I can understand, but why Seto can no longer speak Japanese is beyond me."

"How do you know it's Ancient Egyptian?"

"Well, it makes sense, they both came from the world of Ancient Egyptians, it is the language the Pharaoh speaks, so I'm pretty sure it isn't Swedish. Also, the Pharaoh can write and what he wrote looks like Ancient Egyptian."

"I see. Quite interesting. And you are sure the man, who returned is Seto Kaiba?"

"What do you mean?" Mokuba asked confused. 

"Well, your brother is the reincarnation of Pharaoh Seto, who ruled after Atem. We - the two looked almost identical based on what Yugi and his friends told me. Are you sure this man who has returned and only speaks Ancient Egyptian is not Pharaoh Seto?"

"Okay. Several things: first, I know my own brother. Even if we can't speak to each other, I know him. Second, he knows me. Unless Pharaoh Seto also had a little brother called Prince Mokuba or whatever, your theory doesn't hold up and third, if Seto is the reincarnation of... Seto, then there can't be two of them. There is only one. Now there is only my brother." 

"Well, it is possible that people traveling to places one shouldn't travel, like the afterlife when they're alive fundamentally changes them."

"He's the same person. He's my Nii-sama, I'd know," Mokuba said firmly, but he couldn't help, but feel a trickle of doubt and fear run through him. What if Seto was different now and he couldn't tell? No. He acted the same, moved the same, looked at him the same way. He was the same person. 

"Okay," Ishizu agreed.

"Okay. Will you or Marik come over and translate what they're saying?"

"No," Ishizu's voice was soft, but firm: "Neither of us actually speaks Ancient Egyptian."

"What?! But you're the tomb-keepers! If you don't know it, who does? I thought you were a leading expert on your field."

"I am, but _no one_ speaks Ancient Egyptian. It is a dead language. We make guesses about the way it may have sounded based on what we know, but we actually know very little."

Mokuba felt like there was another ton of bricks being mercilessly thrown at him. He just stood there on the phone, with his mouth open for a good ten seconds, before saying: "So you're telling me that no one in the entire world aside from Atem and Seto speaks Ancient Egyptian?"

"If your assumption that this is what they speak is correct, then yes. If the Pharaoh can write, I may come over and translate his writings, but of the language they speak, I am very unlikely to understand anything. I certainly can't promise a smooth translation. ....Atem is likely to speak Late Egyptian, I suppose if we go by when he lived originally," she sounded like she was thinking out loud now more than anything.

"There's more than one kind?"

"Of course. It was a civilisation that spanned thousands of years. Languages changes very quickly. Even the way your grandparents speak isn't entirely the same to the way you speak."

"Ishizu, I'm an orphan," Mokuba said seriously: "Now, will you come here, translate what Atem is writing and at least _try_ to translate what either of them are saying?"

"I can. I'm certainly very interested in the matter, but I can offer you no guarantees what so ever. If anything, I can guarantee I won't be able to translate what they're saying." 

Mokuba sighed: "Great. Oh and no telling Seto this was a horrible idea. No telling him about how this is fate having its revenge and such. He has enough on his plate."

"I don't think I can promise that either."

"Then don't come. I'm sending a jet. Get on it or don't, your call." 

Mokuba hung up and quickly made the call to arrange an airplane. He had to keep on going, had to keep on doing things, otherwise he would break down completely. He could feel it. He was seconds away from being a sobbing crying mess on the floor and he kept pushing the feeling down ruthlessly, but it got harder and harder. How did Seto do it? Did he not feel this way, ever? He wanted his big brother. He had this entirely irrational feeling that when his big brother was just there next to him everything would be okay. Even now, he felt better with him in the room, more safe, more grounded. He looked over to the vending machine as he gave instructions to send a plane for the Ishtars. Nii-sama wasn't there anymore and it somehow made him feel worse.

 _I want to go to him and hug him and just sit with him._ Mokuba thought, but shook the thought away. Seto had already hugged him once before today and that was pretty much their weekly quota filled.

He had one more difficult phone call to make. To Yugi. He'd let Yugi tell everyone else. He didn't have to do everything. 

He waited and waited as the phone rang, eventually Yugi answered. He sounded happy to hear from Mokuba: "Mokuba-kun! How are you? I've been reading the news - are you holding up okay?"

"Hi. Yeah, I'm okay. Yugi, my brother is back from his trip."

"Oh," Yugi paused: "Did he see Atem?"

"Yes."

"Great. Did he have his duel?"

"i - haven't actually asked. We've had more pressing matters."

"The incidents with the new Duel Links system?"

"That currently barely even makes it to my top ten most pressing problems."

"Mokuba, you have me worried. Is Kaiba-kun okay?" Yugi's tone was kind and warm and friendly. He genuinely cared about whether Kaiba had made it back all right and that both warmed Mokuba's heart and made him want to crack and start crying on the phone. No. He had to stay strong for this.

He's okay," Mokuba could hear his voice crack: "He's more or less okay. He can't speak Japanese anymore. Ever since he came back he only speaks Ancient Egyptian."

"Oh. Wow. Why?"

"No one knows..."

"Right, that's pretty tough for you and him then. Can someone translate for you guys, Marik maybe or Ishizu? I know they don't get along, but..."

"I already called her. Ishizu says no one in the entire world speaks Ancient Egyptian anymore," he sounded like he was crying now, but he could still just hold back the tears, yes a few escaped, but he was fine. It was okay.

"Oh. Wow. Still, I'm sure Kaiba-kun will figure something smart out. He figured out the way to afterlife and back after all. Do you want me to come over there? You sound like you need a friend," Yugi offered and Mokuba took a moment to appreciate what a truly great guy Yugi was. His brother hadn't exactly treated him with all the warmth in the world, but Yugi still always acted like they were all friends. Mokuba was really grateful for that. 

"No! I mean, yes, but - this isn't actually why I'm calling."

"No?" 

"No. Are you sitting down?"

"What?"

"You need to be sitting down for this," Mokuba took a deep breath and then said in one go: "Atem is alive. Not alive in the afterlife, alive alive, Here. In this very hospital. He's not a ghost, he's not a spirit, he's a living breathing flesh person sitting in a hospital bed chatting with Nii-sama. Oh yeah. He's currently also one of the two people on the entire planet that speaks Ancient Egyptian." 

There was nothing but silence on the other side: "Yugi. Are you okay?"

".... Atem is alive?" Yugi asked quietly. 

"Yes. Seto brought him back. He seems very happy to be alive. He hugged Seto. It was exactly as hilarious-looking as you might think," Although Mokuba figured Yugi wouldn't be able to appreciate that mental image fully right now. 

"Atem is alive!?"

Mokuba flinched as Yugi had suddenly started screaming. Well, this was a lot to take: "Yes..." 

"He... he's happy?" Yugi's voice was quiet again. 

"Little shaken by the knowledge no one can understand him, but he still gave me a thumbs up even then, so I'd say - yes. Very," Mokuba said brightly. 

"C-can I come see him? _Please_?" Yugi was properly crying on the other end now and Mokuba was once again finding it difficult not to start too.

Sure. Of course. I'm sure he wants you to. Yugi, please don't cry. If you cry I'm going to start too and I'm trying really hard not to," Mokuba explained, rubbing his hand against his white trouser leg nervously, barely holding back tears as Yugi sobbed. 

"S-sorry. It's just - I can't believe it. I've missed him so much..." Yugi cried.

"You _are_ happy, right?" Mokuba checked.

"Yes. I've dreamed of this, but I didn't think it possible. I thought I'd have to let go..."

"Well, you don't. You can come here, hug him and never let go!" Mokuba said brightly, trying desperately to lighten the mood.

"I will. Can I come right away or should I wait?"

"Come. He knows I'm calling you and will just be anxious if you don't show I imagine."

"Then I'll run the whole way!" Yugi breathed. 

Mokuba smiled: "Great. Are you bringing the rest of the gang? I'm not against it, even asked if Nii-sama was fine with it and he is. Just checking."

"Yugi was quiet for a long while: "I should tell them right away, shouldn't I? I shouldn't keep them in the dark."

"But it's a hard phone call to make," Mokuba offered. He knew it was what Yugi was thinking, but was too nice to complain about.

"Yes. Maybe I should see them face to face, but then..." he hesitated. "I want to come there right away."

"Tell them over the phone. Less chance someone punches you in the face if they react badly. This is the sort of thing where you really can't know how the other side will react," Mokuba offered: "I mean, I would think it's good news, but Ishizu reacted rather badly."

"She did? Why?"

"She thought it to be against the natural way of things or some garbage. I tried to tell him Atem was very happy to be back and probably wanted this, but she didn't seem to get it."

"Probably?" Yugi asked hesitantly.

"I mean, it's hard to ask. We can only communicate through my brother and I can only communicate to him by writing things down and he can only sort of answer yes or no questions, so there's only so many questions I have managed to ask. I'll ask explicitly, but I'm pretty certain from the way he acts. Plus Nii-sama isn't so cruel to pull people out of afterlife against their will..."

"Yes, of course not," Yugi was quiet for a long moment: "... Sorry this is a lot to process." 

"I get it. Take your time. You don't have to come right away if you need a moment," Mokuba assured. Somehow talking to Yugi made him feel a bit better. Less lonely. 

"No, I'll come right away. I'll call everyone like you suggested and then I'll come. I'm sure Anzu can't come, she's so busy with her studies she's barely been taking my calls, but I'll call her too."

"Yeah. If she needs transport from America tell me and I'll arrange everything."

"Thank you, Mokuba-kun. For everything. I'll see you in a bit."

"Perfect. See you then," Mokuba said and hung up. He felt a little better, but he still went to the bathroom and splashed some cold water on his face. As he stared into the mirror he wondered why was this so hard. Everything was fine. Well, no, everything was far from fine, but he had had way worse. Seto was back now and he was more or less okay. No one was trying to take over the company, sure, their stock was pretty much at a free fall and their newest product had various problems that he didn't know how to fix, but it still wasn't the worst thing ever: "Get it together, Mokuba," Mokuba told his reflection and marched back into the hospital room his brother and Atem occupied. 

Atem seemed happy to see him, offering a small awkward wave, while a doctor was disinfecting a small patch on his other arm. Kaiba was completely absorbed in one of the books Mokuba had given him. Mokuba felt relieved the moment he was in the same room as his brother again and he didn't even know why: "Nii-sama!" Mokuba called, but Kaiba had his headphones on so he couldn't hear him. Should he start calling him by name now? It would feel weird, but maybe it would make things easier for Seto. Mokuba went and removed one of the headphones from Kaiba's ear so he'd notice him. 

Kaiba asked him something. Mokuba had no idea what. Was he supposed to know? Then Atem spoke to Kaiba and Mokuba watched them go back and forth for a while. It sounded like they weren't agreeing with each other, but they weren't exactly shouting at each other either, so to call it a fight might have been too much. His brother often sounded put off so it was hard to tell. They argued for a while and then Kaiba looked back at Mokuba expectantly, only making him realize he could have used this time to write things down.

_Sorry, I just realized I forgot about your clothes. I'll get it settled in a moment. Do you want the news first?_

Kaiba nodded. 

_Good or bad first?_

Kaiba seemed to consult Atem on this, before giving Mokuba a thumbs down. He always seemed slightly uncomfortable making such gestures, so Mokuba tried to look reassuring and as if this was a perfectly normal thing they did, before he wrote.

_I called Ishizu. She said she can't really translate anything aside from maybe Atem's writing. No one in the world speaks Ancient Egyptian anymore and apparently we don't even know what it would sound like exactly. Well, no one does apart from us. I've invited her anyway, because currently only you can translate Atem in some capacity and it's really tricky for you to._

Mokuba watched the same pile of bricks that had hit him earlier when he had heard the news over the phone, now hit his brother. It hurt to look at his expression in that moment and the younger Kaiba wanted to throw himself at his brother, hug him and promise him it was going to be okay regardless of whether or not they had Ishizu. 

Atem said something and Kaiba replied in a low quiet voice, laced with desperation. As Mokuba watched Atem's face, he knew his brother had just told him the news even without asking. He gave the other man his best apologetic smile. 

Then he wrote _It's going to be okay. We'll figure things out._ on a piece of paper. It was a pretty pointless platitude, but he couldn't just not try and comfort his brother, who must have felt so very alone in this world for that moment. Suddenly Mokuba was very grateful for Atem's presence. He had been happy to see him in the first place, really, he had missed the man too and he had seen firsthand how deeply his brother had grieved for his rival, so he was happy, but now he was also relieved and grateful. Without him Seto would have been even more alone.

He watched his brother carefully rearrange his expression into an indifferent mask, every trace of desperation gone. He squared his shoulders and nodded seriously, before just staring back at his brother. It took Mokuba a moment to get that he was still waiting for him to give him the other news. God, he was slow today. Well, might have been the fact that he hadn't slept well ever since Seto left. 

_Yugi's on his way here. Running. He was understandably shocked, but I think overall very happy. He's also going to tell everyone else, but I don't know if they'll come right away. I mean Anzu is in America, but I said we could send for a plane if we must. I explained most of the situation to him._

Kaiba nodded, then gently took the notepad from Mokuba, clearly still feeling a bit bad about earlier and read the message to Atem, before handing the notepad back. Mokuba watched the other man's face light up and it made him feel better too. 

_There's something I want to ask for clarity's sake - Atem wanted to come with you, right?_

Mokuba felt bad even writing the question down. He was sure his brother wouldn't just yank someone out of afterlife against their will, going there to risk his own life was one thing, but this - he respected Atem too much. He wouldn't. Mokuba knew he wouldn't. The thought had crossed his mind, sure, but it had never been serious. He stared down at what he had written, debating whether or not to ask. Everyone thought his brother was reckless and completely uncaring of other people and Mokuba could see where they got that from, but they were wrong. So wrong. 

He had spent so long staring at the words that his brother's thin patience snapped and he took the notepad from him. He stared at the sentence for a long moment and Mokuba wished he could just take it back, but it was too late. Seto's piercing blue eyes met Mokuba's and he didn't have to say anything for Mokuba to know that he was insulted. He nodded wordlessly, except now the silence felt heavy, pointed and Mokuba felt like crying all over again, without breaking eye contact Kaiba ripped the top sheet off the notepad, crumpled it and threw the resulting ball in the corner.

Atem said something. Kaiba replied in a quiet, yet clipped and angry voice and the look of utter shock on the former Pharaoh's face, made Mokuba think that Kaiba either just told Atem what he had asked and Atem was shocked that even needed to be asked, or he had said something along the lines of "My brother thinks I bring people back from the dead against their will and have no regard for their own wishes. Basically, he finds me a monster." 

Kaiba stood with the clear intent to leave. Atem called after him, Mokuba figured he didn't want Seto to go, because he was the only person who understood him and without him no one would be able to help him if he needed anything. Kaiba said something dismissive that involved Mokuba's name and Mokuba called after him too. Kaiba looked over his shoulder as Mokuba frantically wrote. 

_Stay with Atem. I'll leave myself. I'll get you some clothes._

"Hngh," his brother replied, but flopped back to his chair. Mokuba left the room feeling the cold gaze of his brother never once leaving him. 

He made the phone call to get his brother some clothes and then simply went and sat down on the cold hallway floor with his arms wrapped around his knees and his face buried into his arms. He sat there for what felt like ages, but really may have been a few minutes, until a doctor came and asked if he could translate some of the procedures they were going to perform on Atem, which were mostly vaccinations, but they also wanted to run some more tests, take a few more blood samples and later also have a look at Seto's brain. Mokuba went reluctantly. He wrote things down and Seto read them out in a cold professional tone. The atmosphere in the room was so cold Mokuba thought he could see his breath. When they wanted to take away his brother for some more tests Mokuba asked if Seto wanted him to come with. Seto shook his head. Mokuba nodded. 

Atem said something. Kaiba's response was angry. Atem's was angrier still. Mokuba wondered if this was about Seto leaving him alone or about their fight. 

He wrote _I'll stay with Atem, so he's not alone._

Kaiba nodded. 

"Kaiba..." Atem said and he sounded like an exhausted parent trying to get their child to behave. 

Mokuba wrote some more. His brother wasn't a fan of long emotional statements, but he didn't know what else to do.

_I'm really sorry. I told Ishizu that I was sure you wouldn't take Atem without his consent, but I hadn't actually explicitly asked and people tend to think I think too good of you. When really everyone thinks too bad. I know you'd never do anything like that. I'm sorry for suggesting it, for even entertaining the thought._

Kaiba read the little message and sighed. He took a can of bread from the floor, where he had all of his vending machine purchases and handed it to Mokuba with a drink. Mokuba could read into the gesture. He took both and nodded. He wanted to hug Seto, but he still seemed a little mad so he didn't dare to. His older brother left and Mokuba and Atem were left alone. 

It was awkward. Mokuba sat on the bed next to Atem and they smiled at one another. Not much else they could do, really. Mokuba opened his can of bread and ate it happily. It was the first thing he had to eat all day. He offered some to Atem, who took it, hummed in pleasant surprise and then gave Mokuba a thumbs up. It made the atmosphere a little nicer and they sat there, eating and sharing bread and later on some Seto's chocolates as well, making no effort to speak to one another. Seto's clothes were delivered and Atem looked at them at a bit longingly. "Would you like me to get you some as well?" Mokuba asked. 

Atem looked at him blankly and Mokuba just shook his head. He'd have Seto ask later. His brother returned not long after, huffing and puffing, clearly frustrated. The reason for his frustration became clear, when the doctors explained that everything looked fine. They still had no idea what was going on. They were just explaining this in far greater detail than was necessary when Atem called out Yugi's name and sure enough, Yugi Muto was hesitantly standing in the doorway of their hospital room, his eyes locked with the Pharaoh, already brimming with tears: "Atem..."

"Yugi!" There was only a moments pause, before Yugi rushed inside and pulled the still taller Atem into his arms. They held each other with the sort of desperation that made Mokuba think he had thought scenes like this only ever happened in romance movies. Yugi was already crying so much Mokuba found it hard to understand anything he was saying. What he did understand he wrote down for Seto to translate, even if he was pretty sure he got the gist of it from looking.

I can't believe you're really here! You're really here! You're alive! I can touch you, I can hold you - you're back! You have your own body... you're... _real_. You're here!" he heard Yugi say, he was looking at Atem with the same kind of look of marvel Atem had looked at his own body when he woke, caressing his skin without any reservations. Atem himself was much the same, holding Yugi in his arms, caressing his hair. Mokuba heard Kaiba read out his translation in Ancient Egyptian with exactly 0% of the emotion Yugi had displayed. It made the whole scene a bit funny, really. 

"You'll have to excuse my brother's lack of desire to sound as emotional as you do, but I believe he is translating for Atem," Mokuba explained. 

"He sounds slightly put off," Yugi noted amusedly, sniffing and trying to dry his eyes, but tears were still overflowing and Atem was crying too now, although not quite as much as Yugi was. The two were still clinging to each other in an iron-clad embrace. 

"I'll never let you go again," he told Atem: "Had I known you wanted to stay in this world... well, we didn't think there was a good way to do it, did we? But Kaiba-kun did. I should have placed more faith in him." 

Kaiba heard his own name mentioned and so looked over Mokuba's shoulder as he wrote, actually making a disgusted noise at the first sentence and it made Mokuba snort, but Atem told him to be nice, or something along these lines. Kaiba still delivered Yugi's lines in the most sarcastic tone possible. Even the ones regarding himself. Atem turned to Yugi and said something that was no doubt very emotional and almost romantic sounding (if everything Yugi had said was to go by), but what it was actually, only Kaiba would know. He made faces so Mokuba figured his guesses were right. 

"Can Kaiba translate for me?" Yugi asked. 

Mokuba shook his head: "It would be very painstaking, he can only read in Japanese now, so the only way he makes sentences is by underlining already written words. Unless it was something vitally important we couldn't otherwise communicate, I think he wouldn't bother. The sort of emotional statements that I'm sure Atem just said, I doubt he would...." he trailed off as he was proven wrong. Kaiba took one of the romance novels Mokuba had gotten him and was flipping through the end parts, before going to Atem's bed and standing next to Yugi as he highlighted.

Yugi read out aloud. It was truly a slow process that was clearly frustrating to Kaiba, so Mokuba was extremely impressed: "I... did not want you to know .... that I ..... was unhappy.... being... not alive.... but now ... that we are together... I will never... leave you again .... and we can always be together... if that's what you want..." Yugi smiled nodded and thanked Kaiba for his efforts. 

Kaiba nodded: "You're welcome," Mokuba stared. His brother's voice was thick with a strange foreign accent and he sounded nothing like himself, but he had just spoken Japanese. 

"Nii-sama that's amazing!" Mokuba cried out. Kaiba looked over with a fond smile and shook his head a bit. 

"I got him the textbook less than an hour ago and he wasn't looking at it for the most of it!" he explained. 

"Well, if he can bring Atem back to life from the dead I'm not really surprised at anything anymore," Yugi laughed. "It's a shame Atem and I can no longer do telepathy like we used to. Everything would be so much easier."

Writing everything down for Kaiba to read was slowly becoming a habit for Mokuba now and so he wrote as he spoke: "This may sound stupid, but - have you tried?"

"No, I'm pretty sure we can't without the Millennium Puzzle."

"Well, what happened to it any-," Mokuba looked up from his writing, mostly to let Seto catch up when he noticed Atem and Yugi were just staring at each other, grinning like madmen, differently from the way they had a moment ago, not with adoration and love, but more with glee and excitement. 

"What?" Mokuba asked.

"We still got it!" Yugi announced, beaming as he pulled his soulmate into another tighter embrace, despite the fact that the first one hadn't really ended: "We can still communicate telepathically!"

"In Japanese?" Mokuba asked.

"No, it's a - it's different. It's not a language at all. It's hard to explain. You just sort of... send a concept over.. it transcends language." 

Mokuba beamed: "Wow, great! Does that mean you can translate Nii-sama for me?"

"I think so," Yugi said: "I don't see why not..." 

" _Yes_!" Mokuba actually jumped up in pure joy, Kaiba looked confused as to what was going on, but Atem explained everything and Mokuba thought his brother looked vaguely pleased. 

"Great. This means I can call Ishizu and tell her to go back home," Mokuba said. 

Yugi looked confused: "You're not keen on her?"

"She said some bad things about Nii-sama. I mean, I know everyone does, but I don't want her spewing her talk on how this is meddling with fate on Seto when he already has enough problems."

Yugi nodded: "Have you told him about the Duel Links... incidents?"

Mokuba sighed: “Not yet."

Kaiba demanded to know what was being said. Mokuba knew that was what he was saying without even asking.

"Can I have some paper and a pen to write to Kaiba?"

"You're not going to tell him, I messed up our company in the few days he was gone, are you?" Mokuba asked. 

"Of course not. And none of this was your fault." Mokuba handed Yugi a pen and a paper. 

Yugi took some time writing his message and Mokuba thought it was more like a letter now, spanning several pages. He took this time to rest from writing, rolling his wrist and rubbing it. He noticed Kaiba looked at him, he said something to Atem, but his eyes never left Mokuba and he was obviously talking about him. 

"Kaiba wants to tell you that you don't have to write down absolutely everything everyone's saying. He can live without," Yugi said, still focused on his letter. 

"I don't mind," Mokuba told Seto with a smile: "I want you to feel included."

There was some silence between Mokuba speaking and Atem giving what Mokuba assumed was a translation.

Kaiba just scoffed and crossed his arms, but he added something else a moment later and Mokuba thought he sounded hesitant. 

"If you do write, he'd like you to read out the things you write as you write them, so he can remember the pronunciations and actually get this over with and learn to speak like an actual human being. His words, not mine," Yugi said. 

Mokuba nodded with a smile and turned to Yugi: "Sorry to... have to use you like that..."

"I was doing the same thing a moment ago and you weren't complaining, besides - you brought my best friend back from the dead!" 

"Well, yes, Nii-sama did. I actually actively begged him not to go."

"It was dangerous and you were worried. I understand. We all needed to believe in him more."

Mokuba nodded: "Well, I always believed he'd be back, I just had no idea he'd bring Atem," he had, if not for any other reason then for the fact that it was what got him through the day. He knew that years could have passed and he still would have hoped. He still would have waited. He would always wait for Seto, but God did he also hope Seto would never pull a stunt like that ever again. 

Yugi had finally finished his letter to Seto and he now went and presented it. He replied something and Yugi must have received some sort of telepathic translation, cause he looked a bit flustered as he nodded. It made Mokuba feel a little jealous. He understood that there was a strong bond between Yugi and Atem and he didn't find them undeserving of their telepathic gift, if anything, it was helpful, but God did he want to have one with Seto too. He wanted to know what his brother was saying. It was a bit ridiculous, because all their lives they had never really talked that much. Kaiba was a quiet man who spoke more in actions and who, apart from an occasional rant of a mad genius, hardly ever just conversed, the brothers rarely sat down just to have a chat. Now however he felt like he was missing worlds of information with each word his brother spoke. There was a distance there that wasn't physical and couldn't be crossed. 

Mokuba was so invested in his sulking that he barely noticed when Yugi had pulled his brother into a hug. It was pretty much as awkward as the one he had shared with Atem earlier and Mokuba heard him grumble some kind of a complaint. Atem replied something, but he really looked more amused than he looked sorry for Kaiba. In fact with the same amused smile he got out of bed and went and piled in on the hug. Mokuba suddenly felt worlds away from all of them. Like he was watching a film from a distance rather than a scene in his own life. He hated that feeling and really, he had been wanting to do nothing but hug Seto all day (and yes, they had already hugged, but he still felt like he needed a few more to feel okay) and had been holding himself back, because he wanted to be considerate. Well, he couldn't do it anymore, if everyone were hugging Seto, he would join in too, even if Kaiba already looked like he was suffering, standing still and straight. Mokuba decided to assault him from the one side that was still unoccupied.

He heard Seto grunt and looked up, to actually be met with a not at all annoyed looking gaze of his older brother. He even put his arm around Mokuba. Mokuba sighed and pressed his face into his brother's shirt. He heard Seto ask him something.

"Are you okay, Mokuba-kun?" Yugi asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm all right." 

They stood there for a rather long wonderful quiet moment, where all their worries seemed abstract and distant. Atem and Yugi eventually pulled away and Mokuba let his arms drop from around Seto, but he remained standing next to him in his personal space and Kaiba's hand was still lightly resting on his shoulder. It was comforting. Maybe he knew it was what Mokuba needed. Kaiba said something and Atem laughed. 

"Kaiba-kun wants to know if there's anywhere he can go now to take a shower and change," Yugi translated.

 _You really don't like hugs, do you?_ Mokuba wrote, also looking amused.

Kaiba just shrugged and said something nonchalant. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be Kaiba's POV again I think, but I think I'll do a few from Atem's and Yugi's perspective as well.
> 
> Leave all your thoughts, suggestions and whatnot below. If you notice a typo I missed, tell me.


	3. Crashing down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kaiba's POV

The shower made Seto feel more like a human being again. It was a hassle, putting on all of his belts and buckles in the tiny hospital bathroom, but his outfit made him feel more put together so he put everything on aside from his coat. Even he had to admit that wearing his coat in a hospital setting was a bit much. He didn't have a towel or a blow dryer to dry off his hair, so it was dripping uncomfortably, but overall he felt much refreshed.

Jounouchi pretty much ran into him in the hallway. He grabbed Kaiba by the shoulders (why were everyone trying to touch him today?) and shouted at him. He sounded excited, but other than Yugi's and Atem's names he understood nothing. Kaiba brushed Jounouchi's hands off his shoulders and made an annoyed sound. If Yugi had told Jounouchi Atem was alive, wouldn't he have also mentioned he and Atem no longer spoke Japanese? Then again, maybe it was too much to expect Jonouchi to remember two pieces of news at once. He took a step back from the man, which only made him scream more.

_He really doesn't know, does he?_

Kaiba smirked and walked away. He wouldn't stoop so low to admit that he couldn't understand a word the punk was saying, pretending he was purposely ignoring him was way more fun. Sure, the truth would be revealed the moment Jounouchi would find Yugi, but for now he could enjoy the feeling off pissing off Katsuya. He could still hear him screaming at him from the other end of the hallway as he walked into Atem's room again. 

Mokuba was talking to Atem and while Kaiba had no idea what his brother was saying, he could at least understand his rival. 

"I would like some, but it's no urgent matter. Don't worry about it. I'm quite happy as it is, you've already doing so much for me and Kaiba."

"What do you want?" Kaiba asked, flopping back onto his chair.

"Clothes," the former Pharaoh looked Kaiba over: "You look good in yours. Somehow makes you look healthier."

"Yeah. Hospital clothes tend to make you look ill no matter what. Feels better too," Kaiba admitted: "Anyway, clothes hardly seem like an unreasonable request." 

"I know, but Mokuba has already been running back and forth for us so much."

Kaiba hummed in agreement: "I suppose. By the way, Jounouchi is here. He yelled something or other at me. I'm sure he'll find his way here soon enough. Did Yugi not tell him I do not speak Nihongo anymore?" he used the Japanese word for Japanese as he had already learnt it, (it was on the cover of the book after all.)

"Nihongo?"

"It's... the word for the language... they speak - the word in that language. We don't have one, so..." 

Atem nodded: "Good idea." 

Kaiba nodded: "Anyway. Did Yugi not tell him?"

Yugi reacted to the sound of his own name right away, but only replied moments later when Atem had sent his meaning through their link.

"He did, but Jounouchi was too excited to listen, he thinks," Atem explained.

"Ah. Makes sense," Kaiba said, Jounouchi finally found their room at the same moment. He was followed by Honda, who had clearly come straight from his father's workshop if his clothing was anything to go by. His blue overalls were covered with some sort of white dust and it made Kaiba feel strangely uncomfortable, like he didn't belong at all. The feeling only intensified when everyone showered Atem with love attention and hugs and words he did not understand. Yugi seemed to struggle a bit translating everyone, but Kaiba couldn't be sure. He only understood Atem's answers to everything.

"I missed you all too! So much!" Atem assured, giving everyone hugs left and right and Kaiba hoped no one would try to hug him again today. He was at his limit. 

"It was great. I was with Mana and Mahad and my family," Atem said.

 _If it was so great why were you obviously miserable? Why did your eyes lit up when you saw me as if you'd been hoping I'd come all along? As if I was a knight in shining armor coming to save you?_ Kaiba thought, but didn't say. 

"But I missed you all. I missed all my friends and my partner," he pulled Yugi close again. Kaiba wondered if they had let go of each other at all in the time that they had been re-united. Neither seemed uncomfortable with this complete lack of personal space, instead they seemed to be constantly trying to find ways to be even closer. Kaiba supposed it had something to do with them having shared a body. Atem was clearly happy having one of his own, but it was also clear that his happiness was even greater when Yugi was near. Yugi seemed much the same. It was only then that Kaiba realized, thinking back, that he hadn't seen the young man smile like this since Atem left. Sure, they didn't hang out much at all, but thinking back, of the limited times Kaiba had seen Yugi he too had never seemed happy, there was an underlining feeling of melancholy in him, a feeling of grief so familiar to his own heart. The realization hit Kaiba hard, as if someone had swung a frying pan to his face. He had missed Atem. He had not only been tormented by the fact that he had not had his chance at a rematch. He missed his rival, his genius and skill, the challenges he brought, the way he drove him to try even harder, the colour he brought into his life for the lack of a better metaphor. 

Somewhere along the line Atem had given up answering his friends verbally and now only Yugi's translations could be heard, but Kaiba couldn't understand them so he paid them no mind. He didn't care really, he was paying more attention to Atem and Yugi's body language, allowing his mind to wonder a bit.

Mokuba was standing next to him, writing and whispering the pronunciations to his brother's ear to give the illusion of privacy. Mokuba was always so considerate. Kaiba wondered where he had picked up that trait from? Their mother perhaps? Brief as her influence on him had been it might have mattered for something.

 _Everyone's so happy!!_ He could hear the happiness in his brother's voice too. 

_Do you want me to try and translate everything?_

Kaiba shook his head. He was fine. Then he heard his own name mentioned in one of Yugi's translations and as everyone's eyes turned to him he became curious too. He saw Jounouchi walk over: "If he tries to hug me I will hit him where it hurts!" he said quickly, making Atem smile, amused. 

"I'm sure even you bringing me back from death won't achieve that," said Atem. 

Jounouchi slapped Kaiba on the back rather harder than he would have liked. Well, he would have liked to have no physical contact with the man at all. 

"He says he's very glad you brought me back," Atem informed.

"Mmm. You're leaving out some kind of an insult at me he included in that statement," Kaiba said. He could tell from the way Mokuba was glaring at Jounouchi and also from the way what he had said had been a much longer sentence than a simple "thank you for bringing Atem back," would have been.

"I believe my partner has already done some censoring, not me," Atem laughed. 

Jounounchi patted Kaiba on the shoulder and said something else. It made him flinch and pull away: "Why is everyone so keen on touching me today!?" he said, irritably. 

"What do you have against hugs and such? I think they're just lovely," Atem said and pulled Yugi closer yet again. Yugi seemed completely unbothered by such an open display of affection even as there were so many other people in the room. Something Kaiba didn't fully comprehend.

"I don't like being touched in any capacity by almost anyone other than Mokuba. It makes me feel - uncomfortable. It feels - intrusive," he admitted honestly. Only Atem could understand him, so it was fine. He expected the man to have enough tact not to have that admission broadcasted to the rest of the world.

Atem dropped his eyes from Kaiba's, looking at his hospital sheets: "I understand, I think. I - really like it. Touching and being able to touch, God, I sound lewd, don't I?" he looked embarrassed. 

Kaiba waved him off: "Not at all. You spent so long being non-corporeal, I suppose it's natural that you would want the reassurance you're real."

"Yes. That. There is _that_ as well of course. But also, when you're the Pharaoh, you're like a God, so - no one touches you casually. Touching you is considered this big thing, an honour. I mean I had a very casual relationship with Mahad and Mana and she didn't care too much of these things, but still - you feel it. When people start shaking just because they've brushed against your skin like it's this - huge deal. It - seems a miracle we somehow managed to have children in the first place," Atem shrugged.

Kaiba smirked: "Please, spare me the details of your sex life. But yes, I understand what you mean." he remembered the feeling, the way he had thought of the Pharaoh back then. No, not him. The way Priest Seto had thought of him. 

"I didn't live long enough to have a sex life," Atem admitted, looking red and terribly flustered. 

Kaiba supposed he looked much the same: "... I told you to spare me the details," he said, looking away.

Atem coughed: "Yes, well, my point is that I like hugs, but - I shall be mindful of your preferences. I'm sorry - "

Kaiba brushed him off: "Oh, don't be. I understand. You were happy. It was tolerable." 

"I'm still happy," Atem pointed out. 

"i know. Everyone is looking at us," Kaiba noted. He had completely forgotten everyone else in the room for a while and now was suddenly very aware of them all again when he felt all of their gazes on him. 

"Yes, I guess they must be curious as to what we're talking about."

"You're not relaying the entirety of this conversation to Yugi, are you? Or even worse, have him translate it?"

"Of course not. He is very curious. So I suppose I have to give him the general idea."

"If you're telling him we're talking about _touching_ that will only make him more curious," Kaiba said. 

Atem smiled: "I'll be delicate."

Kaiba snorted: "Very well. I suppose you can more or less tell him. Yugi seems to be rather... discreet," he admitted. 

"Oh he is!" Atem agreed eagerly, seemingly very happy that Kaiba had said something nice about his partner. He then watched Yugi seemingly carefully dodge some questions about what Atem and him were talking about and steer the conversation another way.

Mokuba was curious too, because he wrote _What were you talking about?_

Kaiba spent a while looking for suitable words in the romance novel Mokuba had gotten him. Oddly enough it had proved to be the most useful book out of the bunch. He eventually settled for an answer: _Hugging, things we like._

Mokuba seemed surprised, but happy with that answer. _About how you don't like hugging and he does?_

Gods, the boy was preceptive. Kaiba nodded.

_Did I go overboard with the hug earlier? Piling in?_

Kaiba shook his head: "No," he answered for good measure, although the word felt stiff and foreign on his tongue. Well, Mokuba had looked so happy when he had tried to speak Japanese earlier, so he had to keep trying, for that reason as well as many others. 

He gave Atem a few more moments to enjoy the company of his friends, but he found he was getting fed up with all the happy friendly talk that he couldn't understand a word of. They had much to do and they needed to get it over with. He wanted to be out of the hospital, before the day was out. 

"I hate to break this up - well - no, really - I don't," he cut in eventually, at a moment where he felt he could take no more: "But we have many important things we should discuss between you," he told Atem: "Yugi, myself and Mokuba, seeing as I'm going to inevitably require his help in the execution." Mokuba and Yugi looked over to Atem, waiting for a translation. 

"Important things?" Atem asked. 

"Yes. Or have you figured out where you'll live, what your legal full name will be, how it will be spelled, what your nationality will be, what your backstory will be? Who are your parents? Where were you born? Where did you study? What language shall you speak officially? We will need to decide all of that and get your documentation in order. It is no easy feat. It is not impossible either, but we must get working on it right away. I'd like to go home and see the state of my business."

Atem seemed surprised: "You will - help me with all of that?"

"Do you have your own powerful connection, who can forge documents for you and hack into government databases? If you do, you're welcome to turn to them."

"No, no one, but you, but - you will really help?"

"Of course," Kaiba scoffed: "It would be downright cruel to bring you back to this world and then not give you the means to actually have a fulfilling life."

Atem smiled: "Thank you. I don't know how to thank you enough."

"A rematch perhaps?" Kaiba offered with a smirk.

There was a matching sparkle in Atem's eye: "Always. Anytime."

A moment of silence passed between them: "Do you actually remember which of us won the duel?" Kaiba asked quietly.

"Honestly - no. My memory of the last few days is a bit spotty," Atem admitted.

"Mine too. Must be the effects of the travel," Kaiba said. He stood the next minute and turned to Mokuba asking him to find them a nice quiet room, where they could discuss everything they needed to. Yugi had thankfully already gotten very used to his role as the in-house interpreter and their communication felt almost smooth. Almost. 

"Can my friends come along?" Atem asked hopefully when Mokuba came back announcing the had found a room for them.

"No. They'll just be a distraction. The fact that I have to go from you to Yugi to talk to Mokuba is already confusing enough, we don't need extra parties distracting us. We need to stay focused." 

Atem managed to look like a kicked puppy: "Of course. Yeah."

Kaiba sighed: "You have literally the rest of all of your life to spend with them. You can manage a few hours without." 

Atem nodded and squared his shoulders, looking determined: "Of course. Yes."

The room they occupied was dark, dingy and the internet connection was spotty at best. It took them hours to decide on everything and it was a hassle going through several layers of translation, but Kaiba had to admit he was impressed with Yugi, Atem and Mokuba alike. None of them had a single complaint to make, when he gave instructions and orders on how they might proceed, all of their comments were useful and to the point, they didn't let the conversation wonder and stayed focused even as they had spent hours figuring out the details. Suguroku Muto was at one point included in the talks as well via video connection as everyone seemed to agree that Atem and Yugi should be related and share the same family name, Atem of course, for obvious reasons, being only half Japanese and having lived most of his life abroad.

"Are you sure you want to share his last name? I mean in this day and age any sort of relations between relatives are... frowned upon." 

It seemed Kaiba was being a little too discreet, because Atem was staring at him in open confusion: "What?"

"If you ever want to - have something romantic with Yugi the fact that you're officially related would become a hindrance." 

We're not like that," Atem said. 

"Well yes. Not yet. Thankfully, considering I've been in the room the whole time you've lived your lives in separate bodies I would be rather disturbed if you were."

Atem blushed: "Kaiba, _please_.... He's my partner. I love him, but - it is not what I think you are suggesting. The bond between us, it is difficult to explain. I believe it to be so unique - "

Kaiba sighed: "Atem, I really don't need an explanation. I am merely making sure you'll know how the public will perceive things, if you care about this sort of thing. I'm making sure you are of aware of as many aspects as you can think of," He was rubbing his temples. He was getting a headache. He would have to take something for it if it didn't go away soon. 

Mokuba pressed a white tablet and a bottle of water into his hands. Kaiba stared: "Ra, I'm starting to think you're psychic. Thank you." 

Mokuba smiled. He looked exhausted too. For all the talk Kaiba had said about hating hugs earlier he sure wanted to pull his little brother into one right now and praise him for being so utterly amazing. No. They had to focus. If Atem could go hours not being completely tangled up with Yugi, he could certainly keep his brotherly affections in check. 

"I thought it would be the most logical way to go. We do look remarkably alike still, despite some differences," Atem pointed out.

"You do, it's almost uncanny," Kaiba said. He was too tired to have his niceness filter anymore. "I'm fine with it, just checking you've thought of everything."

"Oh, I'm sure we've not thought of _everything,"_ Atem said seeming bemused. 

"We have to think of everything. That's the name of the game," said Kaiba. 

"It is how you operate, is it not?" Atem realized.

"Yes," Kaiba concurred. 

* * *

"I suggest you lay low for the next few days until the physical documents are being made," Kaiba said as they rode in his limo towards their homes. Atem would of course be staying with Yugi. Kaiba had offered him a room in his mansion, for he had much more space to spare than Yugi did, but he was not surprised that his offer had been turned down, albeit gently under the pretense that he had already done too much. Well, Kaiba wasn't good with other people. This was for the best, really. Atem would be happier with Yugi. The former pharaoh was still trying to get the hang of writing his name in one of the notepads in Japanese. Kaiba thankfully remembered how to write his both in Latin letters and Japanese. It was the only thing he could still write, but it was something. Mokuba was already fast asleep against his older brother's shoulder, snoring quietly and Yugi was also lying against Atem, one arm wrapped around him, looking like he was seconds from falling asleep.

"Yes. Thank you. Kaiba I really don't know how to thank you enough."

"It was... fine. Took a while, but would have been faster if I could still speak," he sounded annoyed. He was. At himself, no one else: "Tell Yugi he did well interpreting. He should consider it as a profession really." 

Atem smiled: "He says it's no trouble. You brought me back and we're all friends. If you need us to interpret anything at all, all you have to do is ask."

Kaiba hummed and leaned back in his seat. Gods, he was exhausted, him shifted, also shifted Mokuba, who fell onto Kaiba's lap like a sack of potatoes. He didn't wake though. Kaiba ran his hand through Mokuba's hair soothingly and Mokuba muttered something about his Nii-sama, Kaiba didn't expect a translation, but he received one despite the fact that Yugi looked like he was asleep against Atem. 

"He says you're amazing," Atem provided. 

Kaiba snorted: "I wish I was half the man Mokuba thinks I am," he was making a lot of admissions to Atem that he wouldn't normally make, but tiredness mixed in with the fact that Atem was the only man in the world who understood him created a sense of privacy and security between them. 

"You do your best, that's all anyone can do and let's face it - your best is pretty impressive."

"I'm not talking about business achievements. In those I am unrivaled," Kaiba said, seeing no need for false modesty.

"I know. Neither am I,"

Kaiba watched Atem through hooded eyelids and hummed. Maybe he did understand what he meant. 

"Do you need us to stay with you?" Atem asked: "Considering no one but me understands you now, it feels wrong leaving."

"I'm fine," Kaiba scoffed: "I have Mokuba. Mokuba's everyone I ever needed." 

Atem nodded at that: "But we'll be in touch, right?" he sounded hopeful.

"Of course. You need documentation and I need my rematch."

Atem smirked: "What about.. company?"

"I don't think I am much of a company," Kaiba admitted: "I'm not overly chatty."

"I know. It's fine. Neither am I."

Just as if to prove that they spent the rest of the ride in complete silence, but Kaiba had to admit that too, was comfortable. By the time they reached Kaiba's mansion Yugi was definitely asleep in Atem's lap, the former Pharaoh looking at him with all the affection in the world.

"My men will take you home. Lay low. If you need anything... you know how to reach me. Yugi has my number."

Atem nodded and watched Kaiba gather Mokuba in his arms instead of waking him. The boy was getting a bit too big to be carried like that, but Kaiba managed elegantly.

"Do you need help?" Atem asked.

"No, I pay people to open and close doors for me," Kaiba smiled smugly and got out of his car. The door required a retina scan, but he could do that with his hands full of a sleeping brother. He managed to bring Mokuba to one of the bedrooms in a sleepy haze, lay him down and tuck him in, before taking off his shoes and fall face first into a pillow next to him. 

He slept for a few hours like this until he got uncomfortable in his heavily belted clothes and decided to get up. Mokuba was still unconscious next to him, dressed in his full white suit, tie and vest. He didn't seem uncomfortable regardless so Kaiba made no effort to wake him. Instead he got his laptop. It was about high time he checked on the state of his company. He was sure that Mokuba had managed everything brilliantly, but he was clearly exhausted and Kaiba needed to help him as much as possible. He wouldn't sit around and watch his brother suffer under a mountain of responsibilities while he struggled to re-learn Japanese. He could do both, work and study.

Thankfully his fingers seemed to remember how to type in his password without him thinking about it, opening the stock market tab was also easy as it was one of his most visited pages and was recommended to him, however what he saw there made his stomach drop. The Kaiba Corporation's stock was in free fall. Kaiba gaped at the numbers and watched a live feed of how he lost millions of yens every hour. What had happened? Part of him wanted to shake Mokuba awake and scream at him. Ask what the hell was going on. He took a deep breath. No. He could handle this. He could figure this out himself. The stock website also offered news pieces about each company and so he began by clicking on and reading them. 

About an hour later Kaiba had migrated into the kitchen, brewed himself a strong pot of coffee and printed out all of the most important articles regarding his company. 

As far as he could see he had some major problems. Safety problems were the worst and the most urgent ones and if he couldn't figure out a solution to these, not only would his latest product be a fail and he would lose billions, but people would die. The safety problems came in two large categories.

First was the fact that the fights themselves were so realistic that they could send duelists (who were often hobbyists and children without proper training) flying across the room and get hurt. Mokuba had tried fixing this by adding an update patch with massive impact limiters, which wasn't a bad idea in itself, but as people were complaining, it took away from the realism aspect, which was the whole selling point of the Duel Links Solid Vision System. 

The second safety problem was that the virtual surroundings were so immersive that you couldn't pay attention to your real surroundings. The system was meant to be portable, meant to be activated and played everywhere, but currently you couldn't activate it outside without blinding yourself to the surrounding world and therefore potentially putting yourself in huge danger. This was a massive oversight and Kaiba wanted to hit himself in the head repeatedly with a brick for not thinking of it. He had been so focused on creating the perfect new virtual world for everyone to enjoy he hadn't thought enough of how it would fit into the real world that would continue to exist alongside it. It was really a miracle no one had died yet. He needed a quick solution to that problem right away.

The Japanese government was already discussing banning the use of his systems in outside areas. Many hospitals had already banned the use of both Duel Links and Duel Disks inside their quarters due to the injuries that had made it to the news, which explained why Mokuba had used the old school method of playing cards. This was extremely worrisome. Kaiba practically owned Domino City, but if a national law was passed that would make things much more difficult for him. Not to mention the fact that it wouldn't be good for the company. He needed to act faster than the government and make his system safe, before there were laws restricting its use for safety reasons. 

The third aspect all the tabloid newspapers seemed to fixate on was the fact that, because the Duel Links system allowed for a huge customization of your opponent and your surroundings as well as a sort of free play option, where you could simply spend your time tailoring your perfect world without dueling at all, many people had taken to creating their own perfect virtual wives. The internet was full of videos of people showing off their newly made internet waifus and the media seemed to lap it up, screaming about how this was the end of all genuine human interaction. Kaiba was surprised, but didn't care. If people wanted to use his system to live out their fantasies, well, that's was what the system was for. He had expected these fantasies to be less sexual and involve less giant boobs, but he wasn't about to tell anyone off. 

There was a fourth thing he was curious about, not so much a problem than a curiosity and that was a video of him addressing the first issue and announcing the launch of an immediate update patch. Except he had been in the afterlife when the video had been made, so who the hell was the man he was looking at?

Kaiba was so fixated on the problems at hand that he didn't notice a very sleepy Mokuba until he was standing right next to him, looking at the table filled with printed articles and the two laptops Kaiba was working on.

"Hey..." Kaiba said softly, his brother's eyes snapped to him, they were wide, full of... fear? Yeah. Mokuba looked scared. Why? Was he worried Kaiba might be mad? Seto turned his attention back to his computer and opened a text document he had been working on. He deleted some of the questions he had already found answers to and left only the ones he was still confused about. The formatting was all messy with inconsistent fonts and even background colours as he had literally copy pasted words he needed from different sites, but he couldn't bother to make it look pretty. 

_Who's the guy in the video? He looks exactly like me. He moves exactly like me. He says things I would say, but he can't be me._

_The rest I've gathered from the articles. Good thinking on the update patch. Not the most elegant solution, but I haven't thought of a better one myself. Works well in an emergency._

_Do you have any other plans you might want to fill me in on on how we fix this mess?_

Mokuba turned one of the articles Kaiba had printed around and wrote on the other side of the paper. 

_He's an AI. Of sorts. Not really, cause I wouldn't say he has genuine intelligence. I created him the same way you created Atem. He's close enough to fool anyone, who looks superficially, but he's not you, but I figured if I made the announcement and the president of the company was nowhere to be found, when the new system has so many,_ he scratched out the last two words. ~~_so many_~~ _flaws that clearly needed to be addressed by a person of authority it wouldn't go down well. I know I hold the same authority as you, but people view me as more of a child. I knew the message would be more impactful coming from you. I know I said we're also dealing with the other problems and asked people to play safely and cautiously (which we can't count on), but I have no idea what else to do. I've been thinking about it pretty much all the time._

Kaiba remembered he had had one more question he had deleted that he couldn't have gotten an answer to from any of the news sites so he hit ctrl + z a few times and then deleted all the other questions he already had an answer to. 

_Why didn't you tell me sooner?_

Mokuba wrote _I thought I'd tell you right away, but then you woke up and couldn't speak and that seemed like a much more pressing problem at the time, plus you were already dealing with so much. I didn't want to pile on._

Kaiba hummed and nodded and set out to the tedious task of copy pasting an answer for his little brother.

_The fake Kaiba is a brilliant idea. We might be able to use him now too as I am unable to make public appearances where I speak for quite some time. You replicated me brilliantly. No one else could have done a better job. I'm sorry I left such a half-baked product in your hands for you to deal with. I was too focused on getting my rival back to properly focus on the launch. It's all on me. I'll fix this. I promise. You did good._

Kaiba felt like writing out those few sentences had taken him a lifetime and when he looked to his right. He saw his little brother had written a small essay for him in the meanwhile and was visibly shaking.

 _I'm sorry I screwed up. I made you lose millions in just a few days. I know you expected me to keep our company in good form and I couldn't do it for less than a week. I know I'm supposed to be the head of the company when you're away and I really thought I could do it, I was confident everything would be fine, but you were only away for a few days and I managed to screw up everything in such a short time period. You started this whole company when you were my age. Like I know we had the Kaiba Corporation's funds, but it doesn't change the fact that you practically re-built the entire thing with far less money than you left me with currently and you never complained about it or acted like it was too hard and you took care of me too and you always seemed to know just what to do every single time and I just don't know how you did it. You were gone for less than a week and I feel like the whole world is collapsing around me. A world you built and left for me to take care of and I didn't take care of it good enough. I'm sorry, please don't hate me. You can be mad at me, I'd be mad too when someone lost them 100 million a week, but please don't hate me._ From that point onwards Mokuba's writing got too messy for Kaiba to understand, his brother was still writing something, but his whole body was shaking so bad with tears it was just scribbles.

"Mokuba," Kaiba said, loud enough to make sure his tone reached his brother. The younger Kaiba looked over, tears flowing down his face, looking quite hysterical, Kaiba sighed and pulled the sobbing teen into his arms, wrapping his arms around him tightly and hugging him. This only seemed to make matters worse. Mokuba hid his face into his brother's shirt and wailed. He was crying so loud he was practically screaming. He was also saying something, but Kaiba doubted he would have understood anything even if he had spoken Japanese. He sat there, rocking the Vice President of his company in his arms letting guilt eat him up. It was too much. He had relied on Mokuba too much. He had nearly broken him in his own selfish pursuit of his rival. He had known Mokuba could handle things, he had trusted him, but not regarded his feelings enough. And now he held the consequences. Hopefully Mokuba wouldn't hate him once he realized how utterly not his fault this all was. 

Kaiba held Mokuba for what felt like ages. He held him firmly in his arms rocking them both back and forth on a flimsy kitchen chair, stroking his brother's back. He couldn't say anything and Mokuba was too upset to focus on reading. He tried to hum some kind of a soothing melody, but felt a bit silly. So he just held the younger boy until his cries turned to quieter sobs and then stopped altogether. He didn't stop clinging on him, so eventually Kaiba pulled back a bit, offering a hesitant smile to the swollen red face of his brother. He looked slightly gross with snot all over his face and Kaiba reached for a kitchen towel and wiped his face. Mokuba blew his nose into it and Kaiba kept stroking his back just in case he by some miracle still thought Kaiba was mad at him. 

He turned to the computer and underlined a few sentences he had written, made them bold and the font slightly bigger, it looked ridiculous, but he was making a point, so it didn't matter. 

_The fake Kaiba is a brilliant idea. We might be able to use him now too as I am unable to make public appearances where I speak for quite some time. You replicated me brilliantly. No one else could have done a better job. I'm sorry I left such a half-baked product to your hands for you to deal with I was too focused on getting my rival back to properly focus on the launch. **It's all on me**. I'll fix this. I promise. **You did good.**_

Mokuba had finally calmed down enough to pay attention to what was on the screen. Kaiba felt him relax in his arms and he pulled the keyboard closer to write a reply. 

_You're not mad at me?_

"No," Kaiba said. He knew that much Japanese although he still thought the word sounded completely wrong.

Mokuba looked over at him and smiled. 

_I'm sorry I had a meltdown. I feel better now. Thank you._

Kaiba wondered if he should highlight a few more things in Mokuba's letter as a reply, but then again, they weren't really things he would say if they were talking out loud and Mokuba seemed relatively calm. So he turned to the computer to copy paste some questions onto the screen with Mokuba still on his lap. He was getting a little too big to sit there, but Kaiba wouldn't shoo him either. 

_When did you last sleep properly?_

Mokuba wrote back.

_Just now. I just woke up._

Kaiba sighed: " _Mokuba_... "

_Before that? Before you left. Didn't really sleep much when you were gone. But it was only 4 days._

Kaiba rolled his eyes.

_When was the last time you had a warm meal?_

Mokuba took an alarming amount of time to think about that.

_Tuesday._

Kaiba sighed again.

_I forgot. There was stuff to do. Are you mad at me?_

"No," Kaiba said: "Stop saying that."

_I still don't speak Ancient Egyptian, you know. (Even if I've been thinking maybe I should learn some.)_

Kaiba sighed again. It was frustrating how long typing things took him when he couldn't actually type and had to copy-paste everything. 

_Go take a shower. I'll make us a nice hot early breakfast._

He ruffled Mokuba's hair a bit and slid him off his lap. Mokuba nodded and rushed off. 

Kaiba wasn't entirely inadequate in the kitchen, but he wasn't exactly a chef either. However, he knew Mokuba appreciated his cooking more than anything their chef made. He wasn't sure it was if he honestly thought it tasted better or if it was purely the fact that Seto made it. Either way the look of utter pure joy on Mokuba's face when he saw Seto making eggs and bacon, managed to smother his older brother's guilt a bit. They sat down to eat a few moments later, Kaiba trying to put together another copy paste message with one hand, while eating with the other. Mokuba looked so pleased with life that it was hard to believe he was the same boy, who had cried hysterically in his brother's lap less than half an hour go. Kaiba wondered if he was getting to be a better actor than he was, but as he watched his younger brother closely he thought the teen did look sincerely happy. Eventually Mokuba noticed his brother's intense stare and also had to use one hand to write things down. 

_What is it?_

Kaiba took some time to find an answer. Eventually he just slid his computer over.

_Are you okay?_

Mokuba frowned at it a bit, wrote back and slid the laptop over.

_Yeah. I'm fine. Really. I had just been holding all of that in, but now that you're back and I've had a good proper cry I'm fine._

Kaiba nodded and wondered if he should apologize again. Then again words were just empty platitudes, what he really should do is try harder being a better brother. Once Mokuba was done eating he slid another badly formatted sentence his way.

_Go to bed. Have a nice good proper sleep for however long you want. I'll think of a solution. If I haven't fixed things by the time you're back we'll work something out together._

Mokuba nodded. 

_Wake me up if you need something, okay?_

Kaiba nodded. He might, but only as a last resort. Mokuba put their dishes in the sink and went to bed. Kaiba remained behind his computer formulating a plan. There was a lot he could do still, just by copy pasting and he was rather a bit impressed by himself, but everything was tedious and took him ages and really, time was of the essence. They couldn't afford to lose precious minutes during which a child somewhere might get hurt. Once he had an idea what to do, he started putting together a press speech. He needed to make a public announcement. Creating a (very) rough draft of his speech (bullet points really) was tedious enough, but it was nothing compared to the complexities of ordering around his staff. He needed his staff if he wanted to make things go smoothly, but if putting together a single line of text took him 10 minutes everything was going to take hours. He needed an interpreter. 

Kaiba sighed and buried his face in his arms. He was going to need an interpreter and there was only one man for the job. Well, only two men, really. He looked at the time. 5:35 AM and dialed Yugi's number. At first he worried the other man wouldn't pick up the phone at all. He was probably asleep after all. Eventually a very sleepy voice replied.

" _Atem_." Kaiba said, trying to make it sound like an order. He couldn't actually talk to Yugi after all.

"No, it's Yugi," Yugi said and Kaiba felt stupidly thrilled at the fact that he had understood an absurdly simple sentence structure. 

"I know you're Yugi, but I don't understand you and Atem doesn't have a... thing I'm using, so I'm talking to you." 

Kaiba heard some noises from the other end of the line that sounded like Yugi was trying to wake Atem. It took him barely a second to get to him so they were surely sleeping in the same room. Not that Kaiba was interested in that. He heard Atem complain, telling Yugi (in Ancient Egyptian) that he wanted to sleep and Yugi (probably) replying that it was Kaiba on the phone. 

Eventually Atem shouted into the phone: "I'm trying to sleep, Kaiba!"

"I know," Kaiba said bluntly: "I heard."

"Then why are you here in the middle of the night?"

"I'm not there, I'm using a thing to speak with you." 

"I know. But we don't have a word for the thing. Nor for the action of using the thing."

"I know. It's highly annoying. Can you ask Yugi what the word is?"

He didn't actually hear Atem ask, but there was a pause so he assumed he was actually asking. He heard Yugi reply something out loud for once, but he couldn't quite make it out. Maybe they couldn't do pronunciations over a telepathic link: "It's _denwa_. I hope that's not the only reason we're talking right now. I enjoy your company, but not that early."

"No, it's not the reason."

"Then what is?" Atem asked. 

Kaiba was quiet for a long while, wondering if he was really going to do this, if he was stooping so low to beg. He could just wake Mokuba. No, that wouldn't change anything. He'd still have to write out his orders. 

"Kaiba if you don't say something soon, I'm going to fall back asleep."

Kaiba huffed annoyed: "Forget it," he ended the call and practically threw the phone on the table. He couldn't do this. He'd just learn Japanese and do everything himself. No. He was being stupid. Stupid and childish. He knew he didn't have the time to study. Every minute he lost was thousands of yens lost, yens he needed to develop new products, to pay his employees, to fix this, to take care of him and Mokuba. He'd have to ask for Yugi's help. Just this once. He'd pay him for his translation services. Yeah. That way it was okay. He heard his phone ring. The caller ID was Yugi's. He picked up.

"Is everything okay, Seto? Do you need anything?" he managed to sound annoyed and considerate at the same time. 

"Yes. Everything is great," Kaiba lied: "just that - I've lost a hundred mill in the last week, my little brother had a complete melt down when we got home, because he's been trying to manage work I've left undone all by himself. My recent invention is half-baked, I should have put more time in developing security and now people might get hurt if I don't fix things right away. How's life with you?" he asked conversationally. 

"... Is there any way we can help?"

Kaiba sighed: "I could use a translator. I'll pay you both of course."

"You need us right now?"

"Yes. I'll send a... carriage without horses." 

"That's called a _kuruma_ , apparently," Atem said after a moment: "We'll be right over."

Kaiba really thought he could squeeze out a 'thank you', but all he managed was a grunt, before he hung up the phone and went to find his staff to send for a car. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I don't think I'm going to keep constantly putting Japanese words in the middle of sentences, not because I'm too lazy to think about it constantly, but because I think it will make reading uncomfortable and harder. I'll mention Japanese words when it is really relevant to the plot as it was here. It is even a bit inconsistent in this chapter, but I occasionally want to highlight the fact that they are speaking Japanese. I don't know, do you like it that way? Is it stupid? Yes? No?
> 
> Comments are welcome as usual. If I left typos in, tell me.


	4. Help

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Atem's POV

Atem had been happy when Kaiba called. Well, he had mostly been sleepy and annoyed at the time, but in hindsight he was happy. It took a lot out of the man to ask for help and even if he hadn't done so in so many words, he had reached out and that counted for something too. 

_Maybe we could be friends still._ Atem thought hopefully. 

_Of course we will be friends. We **are** friends. We've been through so much together and Kaiba really did miss you. I'm sure he thinks of you as a friend in his own way. He may not say as much, but he brought you back! I mean - I still can't quite comprehend it! _His partner's message felt giddy and excited and filled with happiness even inside his head and they pulled each other close in Kaiba's limo that had been sent for them without thinking about it. It happened constantly, but neither of them tried to stop it. 

_Me neither. I'm so happy._ He had been telling Yugi time and time again, but he couldn't stop himself from repeating it, he was. He was blissfully happy. Nothing could ruin this. Not Kaiba calling at an insane hour, nothing. 

"You could have changed. It wasn't _that_ urgent," Kaiba's voice was dry, his blue eyes cold and he practically scoffed at Atem as he looked him over head to toe as Atem and Yugi stood at his doorstep clearly judging his outfit. It rubbed Atem the wrong way. Did Kaiba think he was not aware of the fact that he looked ridiculous? The sweatpants barely fit him and the t-shirt was ridiculously large on him in comparison. He had considered wearing his gold bracelets and jewels that he had gotten back when he left the hospital, but that would have only made him look even more absurd. 

"This is all the clothes I have," Atem pressed, letting his annoyance show: "None of Yugi's other stuff will fit me." 

_Can you believe this guy?! We come here practically in the middle of the night to help him run his company out of the goodness of our hearts and he starts pulling apart the way I dress. Mister 16 belts in 1 outfit._

Yugi snorted, out loud. Kaiba didn't seem to notice. 

_I thought you were happy you could be friends and yet here you are fighting the moment we walk through the door._

_I'm not fighting. When I fight people they know it._

_This_ doesn't fit you," Kaiba said, only making Atem more angry. He knew damn well this didn't fit him. He could feel it. He didn't need a reminder. 

"Well, I don't have anything better. Do you want our help or did you call us here to mock my clothes?" he snapped. 

There was a shift in Kaiba's eyes and a moment later he looked all serious and businesslike as he started telling Atem, which of his employees he needed Yugi to order around and which orders to give them. It was rather funny really. Kaiba's orders were authoritative and business-like, those of a true leader commanding his troupes, while Yugi was much quieter, nicer and Atem was pretty sure he added a "please" and "thank you" to everything. Something Kaiba did not do. 

"Can you tell him to be a _bit_ most assertive? I feel like my staff can barely hear him." 

_Kaiba wants louder and ruder._ Atem provided. 

"That's because you yell so much they've all gone deaf," he told Kaiba.

"I don't yell. I speak clearly."

"Sure. You speak _very_ clearly when we duel too," Atem joked. He missed dueling with Kaiba already and it bothered him that neither of them remembered the outcome of their match. It made it feel like there was unfinished business between them. He wondered if Kaiba felt the same way. 

"Focus, Atem. Or else there will be no dueling at all anymore. Not with holograms anyway," Kaiba said and he didn't sound mad, just serious and maybe a bit sad. Worried? Of course he would be worried. This was his life's work. 

"That bad?"

"Yes. The Japanese government is already thinking of banning outdoor dueling altogether."

"They can do that?!" It sounded outrageous. Atem couldn't imagine a world where everyone couldn't duel where they wanted and when they wanted. It sounded awful. Sure, he knew Duel Disks were pretty new to this world not to mention Kaiba's new system that he had barely seen, but he still couldn't imagine life without them, everyone were so used to them already. 

"Yes. I hold near absolute power in Domino, but all of Japan is a different matter, slightly. Anyways, the best way to go about this is to make my new system safe as fast as possible, before the government can get on with their lawmaking. Besides, people using your product and dying as a result is never good for business." 

"How about it's just never good, period?" Atem offered, while he relayed the gist of their conversation to his partner, who already seemed better informed than he was, having read most of this from the news apparently.

Kaiba hummed in a way that was neither in agreement nor disagreement. 

There was a press speech to be made. Atem wondered how Kaiba would give it, given he could not even write it, but didn't ask. Kaiba had the whole thing ready in his head and he just needed Yugi to do the transcript. Still, the process was slow and frustrating for there were so many words lacking in their language. However Yugi with his seemingly endless patience and empathy helped the whole thing go down about as smoothly as it could under the circumstances with Yugi suggesting words when Kaiba struggled to find one and hitting the mark 90% of the time. For his part, Atem of course translated Kaiba as accurately as he could, but he also sprinkled in some praise at Yugi's direction, seeing as Kaiba was much too frustrated to do so, although to his credit, he made it very clear he was upset with his own shortcomings instead of Yugi's. Atem thought he was being a bit too hard on himself. He was doing his very best after all, not letting the difficult circumstances get to him. It was unreasonable to assume he would re-learn the entire language in a single day. 

Once done with the speech, they went down to Kaiba's lab with a few of his employees to do programming, a concept Atem was well aware of from his time in Yugi's body, but couldn't actually help with, and to test something Kaiba had, for the lack of a better word called his Artificial Self. All of Kaiba's employees were staring at Atem very blatantly and whispering things about him too, just because Atem couldn't understand _what_ they were saying didn't mean he didn't understand they were talking about him. It was plain as day really, funny how people thought speaking a different language would make what they were saying completely impossible to understand when in reality someone's body language, tone, direction people looked while speaking, could all but tell you what the subject was. 

_They're whispering about me, aren't they?_ They weren't the kind or worshipping whispers either that he had often heard as Pharaoh.

_Kind of. They are mostly talking about Kaiba, saying that you look a blend between me and someone Kaiba had... made and was obsessed with. I mean, it's safe to assume Kaiba is a little obsessed with you, but I don't get the other part about Kaiba having "made you." They're wondering if you're the real person he was obsessed with when they thought it was me. Or if he's obsessed with us both. They're also saying we look too alike and it's creepy._

While everything else made Atem just feel a bit curious, the last comment just made him - uncomfortable. Sure. They looked very alike and they were very close, but they were two separate people still. He'd think that was now clearer than it ever was. 

_Do you think it's creepy that we look so alike?_

Yugi pulled him close with a smile _Of course not._

Kaiba looked over and Atem wondered if he had some kind of a snarky comment to make about their closeness, stranding straight ,ready defy him. Instead Kaiba asked: "Something wrong?" 

"All good. Your employees are just gossiping about us a bit."

Kaiba turned on his heel at that, his dramatic coat making a whooshing sound with the motion and made Atem wish he hadn't said anything: “Tell Yugi not to pretty up, what I'm about to say one bit."

Atem did and his partner followed through, although was clearly uncomfortable telling Kaiba's subordinates that his workplace was no place for idle gossiping and that if they were stupid enough to think he would not catch on when he was talked about, they were clearly not intelligent enough to be working for him in the first place. There was perfect silence after that, employees only responding to given orders, although Atem was unsure if it actually made the whole scene more or less comfortable.

Either way once down at the lab there wasn't much time to think about that anyway, because Kaiba was busy giving out orders once more and Atem and Yugi were equally busy translating them. Atem had to admit he admired the way Kaiba ran his company, it reminded him of the way Priest Seto had run his army. He was a true leader, a king, even in this time. Atem wondered how Priest Seto had done after his death. Had he thought he had done well for himself? Had he been happy? Perhaps he could ask Kaiba, given he had said he now had a lot more of the man's memories. He might try later.

Atem soon also learnt what Kaiba had meant by his Artificial Self. Kaiba logged into one of the files and a perfect replica of Seto Kaiba appeared in a cozy looking living room, that looked like a part of some ancient Victorian mansion. Atem stared: "You made him?"

"No, Mokuba made him when I wasn't around," Kaiba replied shortly. 

Atem looked at Kaiba in confusion: "Why? Did he miss you that much?"

"He believed it was better for the company that I made the announcement regarding the - system changes, but I wasn't here. So he made this version of me to fool the public." 

"Your new system can do that?"

Kaiba hummed in agreement: "Apparently a lot of people are using this feature we have for designing your own duelist opponents, but instead of making them for dueling purposes they use my system to create themselves virtual wives. The news is having a field day."

"That's - sad somehow," Atem thought: "Still, the capabilities are amazing."

"Of course, they are. It's my work," Kaiba said, but Atem could tell he was at least bit flattered by the praise. 

"They're not actually intelligent though," Kaiba said after a moment: "They can fool an average television viewer and you can pre-set them to act a certain way, they duel pretty well too, but - not a way a real human would. He just looks like me. Creating a perfect replica of me would be impossible."

Atem smirked: "I know that. You don't have to tell me. I'd never think you could re-created, you're unique as is any specific human for that matter, maybe you could create someone entirely new, but to copy a person's soul entirely? It's impossible. We're far too complex."

Kaiba looked... almost embarrassed at that and as Atem translated the gist of their oddly philosophical conversation to Yugi something clicked in Atem's mind. The conversation from earlier his employees had had about Kaiba having made him.: “Kaiba... did you try to re-create me using this - system you made?"

Kaiba was suddenly very interested in the state of his shoes. He must have realized his body language was portraying uncertainty, because a moment later he looked up and squared his shoulders: "It doesn't matter. You're here now."

"But you _did_ , didn't you? How deeply silly of you Kaiba, you can't re-create a per -"

"You also can't bring people back from the dead," Kaiba snapped: "I shouldn't have found all the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle again. It was impossible. And then it was impossible that I would put it together in a few days seeing as it took Yugi years and then it didn't matter if I put it together or not, cause you were no longer in it, cause you were dead and I needed to _move on_ and _let go_ and all that shit, because bringing you back to life was _impossible_ ," Kaiba spat the word like it was an offense to his existence: "I do seven impossible things before breakfast every day and just because one of them actually turned out to be impossible doesn't mean you get to lecture me and belittle me and pretend like I am so stupid and ignorant and you know the way of the world, because you're The _Pharaoh_ ," he was mocking Atem now, but the other man could see there was some sort of underlining hurt there. 

"I was doing no such thing, K -,"

"Yes, you were. Stop it. I don't need your preaching and lecturers. I hated them before and I still hate it now. If I never did any of the things people told me I couldn't do I'd still be living in an orphanage eating dry rice and green beans five days a week. Nothing is impossible until I try it and decide myself that it is," Kaiba stepped away with determination, closer to his virtual copy, looking over the details and the surrounding area: "I need nothing else from you aside from translating." 

So Atem did translate. He translated the entirety of their dialogue to Yugi, while Kaiba was looking over his replica and it seemed to make his partner very sad. 

_Poor Kaiba. I don't think, maybe aside from Mokuba, maybe no one did ever believe in him. It is my fault too. I should have had more faith in him. I should have known he could bring you back if he tried hard enough, but I was scared to put that faith in him, because had he failed it would have hurt all the more and I had already hurt so much from losing you, but Kaiba took that risk to be hurt even more once again, if he would have truly failed._

_That's because Kaiba doesn't believe failure is an option. He can fail in doing something one way, but he will just try another way until he finds something that works. It's - admirable. And - I'm sorry I hurt you._

_You didn't mean to. We had no other choices at the time. It's all right now. I'm happy now._ Yugi assured and once again got closer to Atem, wrapping his arm around him. Atem returned the gesture. He heard Kaiba mumble something under his breath and he was pretty sure he was just talking to himself, but went closer anyway.

"It doesn't make sense?" Kaiba muttered. 

"What doesn't?" Atem asked, trying to sound business-like and serious, hoping he didn't set Kaiba off again. 

"Why am I seated in our old living room, before it was re-decorated? Why did Mokuba choose to re-create this setting when it was useless for the situation he required?"

Atem watched Kaiba navigate a few drop down menus and soon the setting changed to that of a white neutral looking room with Kaiba Corporation logos, a podium and a microphone, one more suitable for a press conference. 

"You could ask him when he wakes up?"

"Yes. The system also automatically records all the "duels" so you can re-play them if you'd like," Kaiba was fiddling with some more menus, clicking on words that appeared: "So if Mokuba... Aha! I can click here and see what he used the background setting for."

"Interesting. Still. Why not just ask him?"

Kaiba hesitated: "You're right. This is not important right now. What we need to do is enter this speech so that we can have this Kaiba give it, while we also need to work on the - betterment of the - Ugh - lacking any sort of terminology for this is so frustrating! What was it called. An update?" he looked over to Yugi with a slight hesitance in his eyes that was rare for him and Atem quickly gave their entire exchange so Yugi could reply. 

Yugi spoke. Partly because he was polite, he always spoke to Kaiba, so it felt like he was actually speaking to _him_ even if Kaiba couldn't understand him, before sending the meaning over their telepathic link to Atem. He used some words that Atem didn't have in his vocabulary so he had to repeat them really carefully, to try and make them sound the same as Yugi had: "It's more of a downgrade than an update, the way you're doing it, but yes." 

Kaiba ran his hand through his hair, clearly frustrated: "It's only until I work on the permanent solution!" 

_It's only until he works on the permanent solution!_

Yugi squeaked something, clearly not wanting to upset Kaiba. 

_I know! It's a great idea! I'm not trying to be critical of it. It's all smart._

"He knows. He thinks it's a great idea," Atem said, much more serious and less squeaky than Yugi had been in his delivery, but Kaiba could hear his delivery anyway.

"It's what works. It's not too elegant, but it will solve the issue." Kaiba agreed. 

_It's what works. It's not too elegant, but it will solve the issue._

The plan was to remove the ability to create full backgrounds and entirely virtual background spaces while dueling, leaving only the monsters and virtual duelists (if there were any), while Kaiba worked on a solution that would detect potential outside dangers and automatically disable the background features when there was something potentially dangerous that the duelists needed to pay attention to. The disappearance of a background setting would also let the duelists know there was something to look out for. 

"It's going to be a difficult feat, but I think I'd manage in a week."

"Those two statements feel contradictory;" Atem admitted. 

Kaiba shrugged: "Everything is child's play compared to bring you back."

Atem studied his virtual surroundings in favor of looking at Kaiba: "I'm not sure how you want me to feel about this. Am I supposed to feel bad about the fact?"

"No. I like a challenge," Kaiba replied, a bit nonchalant, but otherwise completely serious: "Technically getting to you was hard. I didn't even plan on brining you back. That part happened quite spontaneously." 

Atem could feel Yugi itching for a translation so he gave one as fast as he could. He knew Kaiba wanted to get down to business. 

* * *

It was a quite a few hours later that Kaiba decided to wake Mokuba. Yugi insisted that the artificial Kaiba sounded exactly like him, but Kaiba needed to get his brother's approval. He also wanted his approval on the whole plan. Atem thought they really should have done that before, if for some reason it turned out that Mokuba wasn't on board with the idea, but he only shared that thought with his partner.

 _You've been so patient. It's incredible. Kaiba better appreciate what you're doing for him_. He told his partner. 

_You're doing just as much._

_I enjoy it. It's nice to talk to someone. Really talk. And have them understand. I know it hasn't really been that long, but still._

_I understand. It's okay. I'm sorry we can't talk - for real._

_It's not your fault. I'll learn to speak your language soon enough. I have to if I want to have a life here._

_I'll help you._

_I know you will._

_Can I maybe learn some of yours too?_

_If you'd like, but outside of talking to me and Kaiba it will be useless._

_I like talking to you... and Kaiba... when he actually talks to me._

The three of them entered Mokuba's bedroom, which felt very light in comparison to everything else in the mansion. The walls were light blue and a few large promotional posters for Duel Disks and Kaiba Corporation tournaments decorating them. Atem also noted gaming consoles and many of the games he had seen either in Yugi's room or his grandfather's shop. Mokuba's bookshelf was a strange mixture of the sort of largely picture books Yugi had a lot too (Atem knew there was a word for those, but he didn't have it in his vocabulary) and big heavy textbooks, Atem wasn't quite sure what they were about, but they looked complicated. He pulled one out and was faced with paragraphs of text he couldn't understand and equations he didn't fully comprehend either. 

"What are these about?" he asked Kaiba. 

Kaiba said to use a foreign word again, but thankfully it was one they both knew as it had come up a lot: "Programming. Or maths. That kind of stuff. A lot of his books are fiction too," Kaiba said with mild distain. 

"You don't read fiction?"

"Not really." 

"Shame. I think fiction is fun," Atem said seriously. 

"I don't really have the time," Kaiba admitted. Despite the fact that they were here to wake Mokuba, they were all whispering and even as Kaiba reached to touch his little brother's shoulder, he spoke softly: "Mokuba..." Atem found it remarkable how Kaiba, who pretended to be cold and serious about everything suddenly displayed all the warmth and affection in the world when it came to this one person.

Of course this soft whisper did nothing to rouse Mokuba so Kaiba had to try a slightly firmer tone: "Mokuba. Wake up."

Mokuba snapped awake, looking disoriented and frightened for a brief moment. He said something, but Atem didn't know what. He knew Kaiba didn't really either, but he replied regardless.

"It's fine. I just need your help. I've done a speech, we've inserted it into the artificial intelligence, but I need you to tell me if it sounds like me. And if you're okay with my plan."

Atem gave Yugi the translation and watched as his partner communicated it, from that point on Yugi translated Mokuba's replies to Atem and Atem gave Kaiba's through their telepathic link.

 _I'm sure I'll like it. I'm sure it's brilliant._ Mokuba said and Atem could hear the excitement in his voice even before he had Yugi's translation.

"It's hardly brilliant yet. Right now it's just... necessary. I need to work on the brilliant part. Hopefully brilliant. Or something that works." Kaiba seemed strangely unsure of himself. He clearly hadn't expected there to be problems with his new product, they had caught him off guard at a time when he already had a lot on his mind. 

_Let's see it then!_ Mokuba was already getting out of bed, looking fully awake, as if he hadn't been asleep just moments ago. 

While translating Kaiba Atem had picked up one of the books in Mokuba's bookshelf and was leafing through it. 

_These are a lot less sexual than the ones you have._ Atem noted, the comment directed at Yugi.

Yugi turned visibly red at his partner's comment. _Atem! Not all of mine are sexual! One Piece isn't sexual!_

Mokuba and Kaiba were already nearly out of the door, looking impatient: "Coming?" Kaiba asked, looking from Atem to Yugi and back: "Do I want to know why Yugi looks like a tomato?"

"I was just telling him how Mokuba's literature is a lot less erotical than Yugi's."

Kaiba sighed and looked vaguely annoyed: "You could have just said no. I did not want to know this."

"Sorry," Atem said, but he didn't particularly sound sorry: "Can I borrow this? It looks interesting?" he held up a thin book. He was fairly certain he wouldn't be able to read novels and such in Japanese a while, but these kinds of picture books looked easier and even if he couldn't understand all of the words, the pictures would help. 

"I'm sure you can, but ask Mokuba."

 _Ask Mokuba if I can borrow this?_ Atem asked Yugi. 

Mokuba just nodded and smiled in response to Atem's question and as Kaiba's patience was wearing thin they all returned to the lab to have Mokuba look over his speech. 

Atem had to admit that Mokuba had a bit of his brother in him. Much as he was much friendlier, more approachable and generally acted nicely, he certainly did have the serious businessman side to him too, Atem also suspected that Mokuba might have been just as smart as Kaiba, he just wasn't driven by insane ambition. He displayed this seriousness now as he questioned his older brother about his speech. His questions translated for Atem, who in turn translated them to Kaiba. Mokuba also had his notepad with him, but Atem supposed he found going through Yugi easy enough that he had stopped using it and Atem was glad. That way, he had both sides of the conversation too. 

_So we're disabling the background features entirely?_

"Yes. If it takes me too long to work on making the system entirely safe, I will, as a non-permanent solution, make it so that duels can only be held in entirely virtual environments indoors, should be easy enough to do, this obviously requires that the players share their location and the backgrounds only activate in indoor locations, but we can make it so that sharing your location is a condition for accessing the background features. I'm sure someone will complain about the lack of privacy or some crap like that, but they can complain. If they want safety and full backgrounds, they need to comply," he shrugged: “But that's my back-up plan. I still hope to make the system fully playable everywhere and fully safe in a week," Atem was impressed by how many foreign words Kaiba was using in his sentences already, replacing everything he didn't have a word for with a Japanese word instead. Atem knew for a fact Kaiba had only heard some of these words for the first time today (well, he had heard them before, but he had forgotten all of his previous language knowledge) and yet he had already memorized them and pronounced them well enough that Atem could see from Mokuba's expression he understood them. There was a bit of sparkle of amazement in the younger Kaiba's eyes every time his older brother said a word he understood. 

_And we'll give people their money back if they wish to return their system?_

"Yes. I felt that they weren't getting what they paid for. People should expect a product that doesn't potentially kill them while they use it. I doubt many people will use the option, given I promise to fix everything in a week, but it's a nice touch. Makes it seem we really care and all that," Kaiba rolled his eyes, but Atem knew better than to think he really didn't care. 

_Is - the week not pushing it? I know you can do it, but I'd like you to factor in sleep and food._

"I can eat while I work."

Mokuba sighed. _Bro, you just got out of the hospital. You should factor in some rest._

"I'm fine."

Mokuba wrote something on his notepad and showed it to Seto, who just scoffed: "We can do - ," he sighed: "I'm fine, Mokuba, It's fine. I'll promise I'll put in some hours of Japanese studies too."

Atem flinched a bit as Mokuba shouted. _That's not what I'm worried about! (Poor Mokuba._ Yugi added mentally. _I agree with him, Kaiba should take it easy.)_

 _Yes, but does he know how?_ Atem wondered as he watched Mokuba write on his notepad furiously, clearly wanting to keep some privacy. 

_Well, easier._ Yugi amended. 

_I think my point still stands._

Meanwhile Mokuba had finished writing whatever he had written and Kaiba had finished reading it too: "I'm fine. I will be fine too. This won't even take that long." 

Mokuba knew his brother well enough that apparently he got Kaiba's meaning from tone alone and simply marched off, annoyed that his pleas had fallen on death ears: "Other than the time frame, do you have any other complaints?!" Kaiba called after him. 

Yugi had to yell as well to make sure his translation was heard. Mokuba screamed something back, his tone was angry, but if Yugi's translation was to believed his words were anything, but mean.

_Yes, you're absolutely brilliant. Great plan. The speech sounds good too._

"Yes, you're absolutely brilliant. Great plan. The speech sounds good too," Atem voice sounded a little surprised still that these were the words he had to say given the tone they had been spoken with. 

Kaiba didn't seem as surprised: "Let's go through with it."

"Kaiba..." Atem begun, but that was as far as he got. 

"Don't." 

"I think Mokuba's right."

"You don't get to comment on my decisions, you don't know what's behind them, so even if you judge them, I really couldn't care less." 

Atem, a bit annoyed that Kaiba had just told him off when he only had his and his brother's best interest at heart, complained to Yugi inside his head. Yugi's response surprised him. 

_He's right. This is their family matter. We're just here to interpret for them._

_But they're our friends, are they not? Shouldn't we make sure they're okay? We're just looking out for them._

_You need to give him time to come to these realizations himself. Kaiba knows how to take care of himself and he knows Mokuba loves him. He wouldn't hurt himself to a point where he couldn't take care of them._

Atem thought about that for a moment. You're _so... understanding and compassionate and kind, Yugi. It's incredible. You've taught me kindness to an extent no one else could have and I am still sometimes baffled by what a sweet person you are._

_You're a great and kind person too, Atem. I know you just want what's best for our friends._

_Yes. I know Kaiba needs to do things at his own pace. It's just - frustrating sometimes._

"Will you two stop flirting for five seconds we need to give a press conference." Kaiba commented, annoyed. Atem had no idea how he knew of the praising nature of the conversation he and Yugi were having, but he didn't ask. 

Atem wasn't sure why they were really needed for the press conference itself, but they stayed nonetheless. He, Yugi and Kaiba watched in the shadows, behind white curtains as the perfect artificial representation of Kaiba gave a speech and refused any further questions, just walking out, which in itself was not unusual for the CEO. Mokuba was there behind the scenes with them too. He didn't speak to his brother, but he had signed all the documents that needed his signature and he was there at his brother's side. Atem had to really admire Mokuba's patience. 

Although Atem couldn't understand a word of what the journalists were saying he didn't think any of them suspected Kaiba was a fake: "Are you ever going to tell the world the truth?" he dared ask Kaiba. 

"Of course. I'll make a great big grand reveal of it. Make it seem like it's all part of the plan. They'll love it," Kaiba seemed so proud of his own genius then. It made Atem smirk. 

Mokuba said something and a moment later Yugi asked Atem if he could translate the conversation between Atem himself and Kaiba to him, so that he could translate for Mokuba, which proved that if the younger Kaiba was still mad, he was certainly more curious than he was mad. 

"Do you need us for anything else?" Atem asked once the press conference was well and truly over.

"No. That'll be all for now. I expect to be able to master this language fully in the next month or so, but I may require your services some more until then." 

Atem thought it was rather amusing how Kaiba was so formal, trying desperately to make this a business transaction, rather than friends helping each other out. He even got out his checkbook and wrote something in it. Atem could understand numbers and it seemed like a lot of money based on what he knew, but he didn't really get how much it was until Yugi was screaming inside his head.

_Tell him we can't accept this! We're friends!_

_You know what he's like. Hellbent on now owning anyone anything._

_This is too much! Atem, my check alone is more than I make in a year! We can't accept it._

"Yugi refuses your money. He says we're friends and as I understand, thinks you've grossly overpaid us," Atem informed Kaiba.

"I haven't. Both of you have an extremely specialized skill set I will find nowhere else and given the exclusivity of your client and the unconventional works hours - it's really not that much more than I usually pay my specialists."

 _Standard fee. And he's sorry for waking us up._ Atem summarized. 

_It's still too much!_

_You know how he feels about this._

"He still thinks it's too much," Atem told Kaiba.

"There is no such thing as too much money. Take it. Rip the check if you don't want it, but I'm not taking it back. I'll have a car arranged to take you home." 

"Thank you, Kaiba. Good luck with working on your solutions."

Kaiba just hummed in acknowledgement and left down one of the many hallways of his mansion, while Yugi and Atem were guided towards the the front door by one of the staff. Mokuba was running towards them, just as they were putting on their shoes. 

"Atem! Yugi!" Atem understood their names, but nothing else that followed. Thankfully Yugi's translation came nearly instantly. 

_Thank you for helping my big brother._

_I said it was no big trouble._ Yugi added a moment later after he had indeed said something. 

_Mokuba wants to know if you could teach him some Ancient Egyptian._

_Sure. I'm not sure how good of a teacher I'll be, but I'd love to help._

_Could you teach him a few sentences right now?_

_Right now? Sure. Unless you want to get back home? We're going to need you too, after all._

_No, I'd love it. It seems very interesting. I'd like to learn some too._

_Let's do it then. Maybe you two can teach me some Japanese too._

Yugi gave Mokuba the gist of their little discussion and the younger boy was so happy he actually clapped his hands together. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this is a short chapter considering how long it took me. Writing from Atem's POV was tricky for me. How did I do?  
> Also, the next chapter doesn't work from any one POV, so I'll may have to switch in between chapters. Unless we will just have really short ones. 
> 
> Yugi clearly has some porn at home in the manga, so I decided to play off that.


	5. Nutella, pancakes, lies and truths

The kitchenmaid was hovering. It was annoying. She always hovered when Kaiba tried to cook anything himself and she happened to be around. He supposed she wanted to be helpful, while also being slightly afraid of him. He wanted to tell her off, tell her to leave, but he wasn't too sure which words to use. 

"Go," he tried. It seemed to do the trick. So either he had used the right word or she had understood anyway. Kaiba finished making the batter and started making pancakes. Breakfast foods were really the only thing he was good at (that and certain kinds of baking), so he would have to resort to some hopefully not too obviously apologetic pancakes. He knew Mokuba was right. He did tend to have a very one-tracked mind. He got so obsessed with one thing he could think of nothing else. This sort of crazy focus helped him achieve impossible goals, but it also took a toll on his health and the little family life he had. Kaiba didn't actually want to die of a heart attack at 35 and yet he knew he was doing everything to get himself there. Well, maybe not everything. He barely drank, never smoked and had really only ever tried recreational drugs without becoming hooked any substance, but still. Mokuba's worries weren't entirely misplaced. Kaiba also knew that pancakes wouldn't actually change anything for real, but he almost never explicitly said he was sorry anyway, so if someone accused him of empty apologies he could just deny that he had tried to apologize at all.

After he had a nice neat stack of steaming cakes and had looked up every sauce and jam they had in the building, he went to look for his younger brother. 

_What will I do the day cakes and hugs stop working as a means of fixing things?_ He wondered, before shaking his head. _Then I'll just think of something else_ : "Mokuba!" Kaiba cried, walking up and down the hallway. He paused. He heard voices. Plural. House staff? No. It was Atem's voice. And Yugi's. Hadn't they left?

Kaiba made his way towards the voices and heard Atem slowly repeat different words: "Come with me."

He then heard Mokuba try and repeat the same words. Gods, was that what he sounded like when he tried to speak Japanese? If he did, they were all being too nice, not laughing in his face. 

"No, stop putting vowels in places there are no vowels. Listen. Come. With. Me."

He heard Yugi say something, presumably translate Atem. Then Mokuba said something. What exactly Kaiba had no idea. He sounded a bit flustered and embarrassed. 

"It's all right. The two languages are very different. I'm sure I sound ridiculous when I try to speak yours. I'm even sure Kaiba does and he's a genius."

Mokuba said something else. About him. He understood the word "Nii-sama" quite well now. His tone was expressive, first defiant (Ra, the boy would argue for him even when someone claimed he was bad at something he was actually bad at) and then he sounded sad and - emotional, but Kaiba couldn't deduce what was being said just from that. So he popped into the room. Maybe Atem would translate. 

"What's this about me now?"

Mokuba turned a bit red: “ _Nii-sama_!"

"Mmm. You don't have to defend me. He's probably right. I'm sure I sound terrible." He actually felt rather self-conscious and terrible about the fact. 

Atem looked impressed: "How did you know that's what he said?"

Kaiba smirked: "I know my little brother. He will call me an idiot to my face, but defend my most idiotic actions in front of others as pure brilliance."

Atem smiled: "There's a strong bond between you." Kaiba wanted to roll his eyes at that, despite it being completely true. 

Yugi was telling Mokuba something, likely what he and Atem were talking about. Kaiba was standing leaning against the wall with his arms crossed on his chest. He was still curious about what else Mokuba had said, but his window of asking seemed to have passed. 

"Mokuba," Kaiba said, like an order, his brother looked over: "Come with me," he said and left the room. Mokuba followed eagerly and Kaiba felt many things at once. Pride and happiness that his brother had understood him and that he wasn't mad enough to just ignore him. Relief too. Yugi and Atem followed too as they went to the kitchen, where he could present his pancakes. Mokuba seemed delighted to see them. Atem seemed too. Kaiba suspected Yugi was trying to tell him they needed to leave and let them have their meal in peace, but Atem seemed to find pancakes about the most fascinating thing he had ever seen. Well, Kaiba supposed the two of them were hungry, not having had any breakfast. 

"What are those?"

Kaiba opened his mouth and closed it again: "I don't know what they are called. Haven't you seen one before?"

"I have I think. You put other foods on top and fold it up, right?"

"Yes." 

"I see."

Kaiba sighed: "Tell me you've never had a - one of these - ask Yugi what they're called."

There was silence. 

"Pankēki," Yugi told them. Kaiba wanted to repeat the word after him, but recalled Mokuba's dreadful pronunciation from earlier and didn't risk it. He wouldn't make a fool of himself unless he had no other choice.

"I've never had them," Atem said seriously: "I've seen Yugi eat them, but I usually let him have all the meals with his friends. It was his body after all. I already used it for dueling all the time and other times too. I tried not to impose too much."

"And I thought my life has been miserable. Fine. Sit down. Eat. Yugi too. I can just make more. It's not that hard."

Atem seemed almost as childishly happy as Mokuba. Kaiba supposed he could be forgiven, considering he had never had one before. 

"For the record Yugi thinks we're being rude and imposing, but I also made him feel bad by pointing out I've never had one." 

"You're more manipulative than I would have thought," Kaiba noted as he started on another batch. Mokuba said something while he was making it.

"Mokuba's worried that you're not eating," Atem said, throwing table manners to the wind and translating with his mouth full. "This is _so_ good! It's warm and sweet and - the creamy brown thing in the middle is - Oh My Ra, whoever thinks eternal rest in peace is better than _this -_ and with the freshness of the fruit," Atem made a frankly obscene noise and Kaiba glared at him: "Do try to contain yourself a _bit_." 

"I can't. Who knew you were so talented in the kitchen too."

"I'm not. I can do like 5 things. So you've never had - the thing in the jar that goes in the middle either?" he groaned: "Why do we not have words for _anything_?"

"Cause this kind of divine sweets didn't exist. If they had we would have named a new God after them. I would have been convinced there was God of - that."

"Nutella," Yugi provided helpfully. He sounded amused. Kaiba supposed he might have found the concept of a God of Nutella amusing.

"Have you had the thing that - Nutella - is mostly made of?"

"Oh, you mean those bar type of things? Yes. I've had those. We had some at the hospital too. They're good too, but Nutella between the things you made is the best thing I've ever tasted in my life."

Kaiba felt strangely - flattered - he wondered if it had something to do with Priest Seto's memories he had in his head, but it seemed to be all him. Well, he supposed their cooking being called the "best thing they had ever eaten" would have flattered anyone. Atem looked sincerely happy eating pancakes and so did Mokuba. Kaiba was a little annoyed with how fond he felt and he hoped it wasn't blatantly clear on his face. He turned his back on everyone just in case, checking on the cake he was currently making: "Is is good. I'm not _that_ big on the main ingredient, but Mokuba got hopelessly addicted to Nutella while we were abroad and now insists we have it stocked here at all times. Apparently it's rare here, sometimes, when the staff can't find it, I have to order it in from abroad.*"

Atem was looking at the little jar longly: "Well, I suppose, a little jar of divine flavors like that would cost a lot."

"It's not _that_ expensive. You could get thousands of jars for the money I gave you."

There was a moment of silence and suddenly Yugi was laughing uncontrollably. 

"Did you suggest to Yugi you buy thousands of jars of Nutella with the money?" Kaiba asked, also mildly bemused. 

"You're all so mean," Atem said, but he didn't sound that put off really: "It's a great investment."

"It's certainly one of the more eccentric ways to spend that much. And that's coming from _me_."

Yugi was saying something. Kaiba looked over at Atem to know what.

"He's translating for Mokuba. Who apparently sides with me on this being a great idea!" Atem announced triumphantly a moment later. 

"I'm not that surprised. Mokuba is obsessed with the thing Nutella is mostly made of," Kaiba sighed: “Word?"

"Chokorēto," Yugi told them a moment later. 

Kaiba hummed instead of actually replying and focused on making cakes. Yugi and Mokuba were talking about something regarding chocolate. Kaiba didn't pay attention until Atem exclaimed: "You built Mokuba a castle made out of ...chokorēto?!"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous. I had it built. It was a while back."

"That's... impressive."

"We saw this movie where a character had a castle made out of it and Mokuba wouldn't shut up about it. So I had one made for his birthday. It was a small one. I mean it was big enough that he would fit inside comfortably, but I couldn't stand straight in it. It was more of a nice house than a castle."

"What happened? Did you eat all of it?"

"Most of it. Not all at once. We eventually had it demolished and we stored some parts for a while and Mokuba did manage to eat an alarming amount of it. I thought he would have had enough for life, but I underestimated him." 

Atem chuckled amused and as Kaiba put another stack of pancakes on the table, he noticed Atem staring at him.

"What?" Kaiba asked, a little defensive. 

"You have a kind heart, Kaiba," Atem said. He sounded fond, but also - dead serious in a way he often was when talking about the matters of the heart. His bright unnaturally coloured violet eyes seemed to want to drill a hole into Kaiba's very soul. He felt shivers run down his spine. 

Kaiba scoffed: "That's drivel and you know it," he said, but Atem didn't seem convinced he thought so. Kaiba wanted to change the topic fast, before Atem went on a rant about kindness and friendship and the good in people's heart: "Do you know you can have it as a drink? Chocolate," he was getting familiar with the word. It felt like part of his vocabulary now. 

"I - think I know, but I never thought to try. Is it good?"

"I'd say yes. We make it quite often. You can have all sorts of things put on top to make it even nicer. Mokuba is good at making it."

Mokuba looked over at the mention of his name and Yugi soon translated. Something else was said and Mokuba got up. Atem looked quite thrilled.

"Is he going to make it?"

"Yeah," Atem confirmed. 

Mokuba asked Kaiba something. 

"He wants to know if you want some."

"I do actually. I also want someone to fry some of those nice fatty meat strips we have. Have him ask Yuna to do it."

"Yuna?"

"Kitchen staff." 

Orders were made and Yuna came to fry bacon while Mokuba made hot chocolate, the kitchen soon becoming filled with all kinds of delicious smells. Seto put the said bacon on a pancake and covered it with maple syrup. Atem, again, looked at it like it was the most fascinating thing he had ever seen in his life. Kaiba thought himself to be pretty cold-blooded, he hardly ever felt compassionate towards anyone, but Atem being so incredibly curious and trying to hide it, somehow made Kaiba feel a bit bad. He supposed Yugi was periodically telling him to stop counting Kaiba's mouthfuls and looking at his plate like he had never had food before, despite the fact that an empty plate before him suggested otherwise. Atem had practically inhaled his pancake.

"You know, you're never going to get the things you want in life if you don't ask for them."

"That's not true," Atem argued: "Sometimes people offer. You didn't ask for our help and we came. You _offered_ to bring me back to life." 

Kaiba hummed: "I suppose your experience as a former Pharaoh would be different. People don't tend to offer me things on silver plates. Sometimes you need to ask."

"Sometimes asking is impolite," Atem countered, only seeming mildly offended that Kaiba had called him privileged, not pointing out the fact that, his past aside, Kaiba was actually too, quite privileged. 

Kaiba scoffed: "You don't get anywhere by being polite."

"Not true either," Atem thought.

"Fair enough," Kaiba agreed, cleaning up the plate: "Have it your way."

Atem snorted: "Are you done teaching me a lesson about me not getting to try nice foods if I don't ask for them?" he asked, bemused. 

"It's not just the food. Tell Yuna I'll have another," he ordered and Yugi did.

"I don't let people walk all over me and you know it, but I'm not an asshole either," Kaiba thought it was rather bold of Atem to straight up call him an asshole for what he did sincerely consider to be a good life advice. It's not like he was unaware of the fact that people considered him an asshole, but it still hurt to hear it from one of the few people he actually had respect for. Of course it was stupid of him to think that Atem would think better of him, that he would at least suspect that the reasons behind his asshole-ry had more to do with the hand he had been dealt in life and less with him enjoying hurting people. He wasn't a sadist. He wasn't a psychopath. Regardless of what the media occasionally labeled him. 

"Interesting how people, who call other people assholes, thinking themselves so much better, always fail to see the irony of the fact that calling someone an asshole makes you an asshole," he said sharply. 

"Kaiba, I wasn't implying that you're a -"

Kaiba snorted: "Yes, _you were!_ " he snapped: "At least have the decency to admit it! Of course you can't because that would mean that you'd have to admit that all of your talk of us being _friends_ is nothing but hot air."

"It's not - this is all just your own insecurities getting the -" 

"Oh, do get out of my house," Kaiba said. No one would lecture him about his insecurities. He refused to admit he had any to anyone. 

Atem stared at him blankly: "What?"

"You heard me. Get out. Leave. Is the concept of being thrown out of someone's home so foreign to the Great Pharaoh of Egypt that I must explain it in detail?" he mocked sarcastically. He had a feeling Atem minded any implication of him being rich and spoilt, so Kaiba hit him where it hurt. 

Atem seemed to take a step back in their verbal battle field: "Kaiba, I may have spoken a little too -, "

"No, no. By all means. Insult me all you like, I don't care in the slightest," usually, that would have been true. Kaiba didn't care what anyone thought of him, but Atem - he did want Atem to see him as his equal, to respect him as his rival. 

"Kaiba, my intention wasn't to insult -,"

Kaiba sighed: "Just leave," he sounded resigned and maybe it was that that finally made Atem give up on what was an attempt at an apology.

"You know for being so rude to everyone around you, you sure are sensitive when someone even hints at the possibility you have some regrettable traits."

Kaiba snorted: "Look how diplomatic you've gotten. "Some regrettable traits." Well, the regrettable asshole has some work to do. Excuse him and do leave," Kaiba sneered and walked off. 

Mokuba called after him. Kaiba looked over and saw him holding perfectly made hot chocolates and wearing a very easy to read _What the hell am I supposed to do with these now that you're throwing the guests out?_ expression. 

Kaiba shrugged. He didn't care. He left and heard Yugi and Mokuba talk, possibly explaining to his younger brother what had happened. Kaiba didn't care. (Really, the fact that he kept repeating that only proved the fact). He had no time for drama. He had work to do. He went to his room and locked himself in there to get it done. 

* * *

He spent the next few days in near complete isolation, proving Mokuba's worst fears about him becoming so obsessive that he would forgot about everything, including taking care of himself. He gave strict orders that no one aside from Mokuba was allowed into his room. He wouldn't lock his brother out, ever, even as he became very annoying insisting Kaiba slept and ate and did all the tedious things he didn't have time for. To be fair, he did eat some of the food Mokuba brought to him, if he remembered it and if it wasn't stone cold by the time he remembered it. Mokuba also seemed to spend rather a lot of time just hanging out in the room with him, not saying anything, but just - being there. Kaiba would look up and find Mokuba working on Kaiba's giant bed with his own laptop and then he'd look up again and he'd be playing a game on one of his many handheld devices or he'd look up and find him reading or asleep. Mokuba knew how not to bother him when he worked and Kaiba knew he only pestered him about food and sleep, because he worried. Kaiba didn't want him to worry. He just couldn't stop. Not yet. Not right away. He'd have a break. Sometime. Later. Not right now. They did occasionally communicate about work as Kaiba tried to keep up with what was going on in the company, while working on his solutions. 

By his 67th hour awake Mokuba's notes about him being awake too long, became awfully persistent. 

_You're not getting anything productive done anyway. You've been staring at that same exact line of code for 20 minutes and you don't even seem aware of it._

Kaiba sighed. He knew Mokuba was right, but he also felt he was close to a breakthrough. 

"Please, go to bed," Mokuba said and Kaiba nearly had a heart attack when he realized he understood what Mokuba said. He stared at his younger brother in disbelief, Mokuba just grinned back proudly. 

_I knew which sentences I would end up needing, so I had Atem teach me._

Kaiba smiled: "Clever. Very clever."

Mokuba smiled and wrote _Will you go to bed then? I can read you a book, so you can learn some Japanese and still be a bit productive, if you want._

Kaiba sighed again. Mokuba knew which buttons to press to get him to do his bidding a little too well. He nodded and got up. Or tried to. He gasped. His back hurt. So bad. How had he not noticed? 

_You haven't gotten up in over 12 hours._ Mokuba informed. 

Kaiba just hummed in a way that he hoped conveyed that he thought Mokuba was being a bit of a smart-ass about this. He tried to stand up straight and if he had to grab the edge of his table for support for a moment Mokuba was at least gracious enough not to point that out.

He took a quick shower, changed his clothes and then joined Mokuba and his book of fairy tales. He barely managed to stay awake for the first half of the story, before passing out for the next 10 hours completely. Mokuba's plan had worked exactly as he wanted and Kaiba knew it. As he woke he swore he was never going to sleep again. Well, not until he got this done, which he had planned to do in under a week, so really, seeing as the World Record for staying awake without sleeping was 11 days, this was fine. 

Mokuba kept bringing him food. Kaiba noticed he had started picking his favourite dishes specifically in an extra effort to get him to eat, knowing full well Kaiba couldn't just let foie gras to sit there and go cold.

He was sitting, typing with one hand and sipping his 7th coffee for the day with the other as Mokuba appeared: "Nii-sama?"

Kaiba looked over and saw Mokuba hold a phone out to him, which was confusing, because he had specifically let everyone know he wasn't taking calls.

"Atem," Mokuba explained and Kaiba quirked an eyebrow, before picking the phone up and putting it between his head and shoulder so he could type: "I think your documents were delivered yesterday, but I haven't had the time to call. I can have Mokuba look into it."

"Hello, Kaiba," Atem sounded... off somehow. 

"Mmm. I'm working. Did you call to chat?"

"No I -," Atem sighed: "Could I come and - I know we didn't exactly part with hugs last time, but could I come and spend some time at yours? I really need a change of scenery and - I don't have anywhere to go."

That caught Kaiba off guard a bit. He actually wanted to ask if everything was okay, but he bit the question back. Maybe Atem was just going a bit stir crazy. He had told him to lay low: "Okay, but I'm busy, overworked and under-slept. If you expect pleasant company you won't find it here." 

"It will be more pleasant than my current company," Atem said darkly. 

Kaiba was sipping coffee just as Atem spoke and he chocked on his drink, getting into coughing fit. What could have possibly have happened between Yugi and Atem to make Atem say something like that? The two were practically glued to each other and now one week in they had a fight like that?

"Kaiba?" Atem sounded vaguely worried. 

"Y-yeah, sorry I'm drinking... you can come here. If you'd like. I'll send a car."

"Thank you. See you soon."

As Kaiba ended the call a very curious Mokuba looked at his big brother with a note that asked what had happened. 

"Atem...." Kaiba didn't know how to finish that. He knew he had asked to have a car sent for Atem before, but he didn't remember how to say it anymore (he really needed to practice more) and he didn't have the slip of paper with the words on it anymore. He groaned. He'd have to look for words again. The word "Send" was easy enough to find from his email and he found "car" eventually too. 

Mokuba nodded. _Atem is coming here?_ he wrote and also said out loud. Kaiba had to hand it to him, ever since he had asked him to pronounce things out loud at the hospital, he always had, unless he thought it was something he wanted to keep private.

Kaiba nodded.

_Did something happened?_

Kaiba shrugged and looked for the right words for a while. _Had a fight with someone. Maybe._

"Atem?" 

"Mmm," Kaiba confirmed. 

"Not with Yugi?!" Kaiba understood Mokuba's meaning even without him writing it down.

_That's impossible. They're so close!_

_We have fights._ Kaiba wrote his counter argument. They did. Sometimes. But he still couldn't imagine Atem being so furious with Yugi to sound like he did. 

_Yes, I know, but it still seems impossible._

Kaiba sighed. Why was he spending so much time thinking about this? He had important things to do. Like actual work. 

A while later Kaiba heard Atem trying to explain to one of his poor staff members that he was actually allowed to see Kaiba. In Ancient Egyptian: "I just talked to him 20 minutes ago. He said it was fine."

He heard Mokuba explain something to their maid in Japanese. She was obviously trying to stop Atem from reaching his bedroom office. The young CEO sighed, got up and opened the door: "Come in." 

Atem's eyes lit up when he saw Kaiba, which almost caught Seto off guard for a moment. People, aside from Mokuba, didn't that often look happy to see him in that particular way. Sure, if they wanted to make business with him or get a job, but there was a certain way people looked when they saw their loved ones or friends and no one usually looked at him that way: "Hey." 

"Hey," Kaiba repeated and held the door open as Atem stepped inside. The other man looked around the room and Kaiba realized he had a lot of dirty dishes lying about. He felt strangely self-conscious about that. 

"Did I come at a bad time?" Atem asked: "You look... exhausted."

_Well, at least he didn't say I look like shit I guess._

"Still working on fixing everything. Think I came up with a rather brilliant system. No need to mess with the players locations at all, just having the system recognize, whether or not people are playing inside a room, as well as other objects and possible dangers like oncoming vehicles and..." he made a vague gesture: "Everything. But it's taking forever to develop and I haven't really had time to focus on language learning so delegating is really tedious. Mokuba is the only person who manages to act... normal around me these days," he fell back into his computer chair and felt how deeply fed up he was with sitting there, so instead he grabbed a pillow from his bed and sat on the floor. Atem was still standing: "Sit down... anywhere. I'm just so tired of sitting in that chair. I haven't left my room since... I last saw you," he realized. Wow. Maybe he did hyper-fixate a bit too hard. 

"You haven't left the room at all?"

Kaiba shrugged: "I've been to few of the other rooms, but I haven't been out."

"You're - really dedicated," Atem got another pillow and mirrored Kaiba. They were facing each other in a way that felt intense, but good. Kaiba found himself thinking you could set up a game of Duel Monsters in the space between them. He wondered if the same thought crossed Atem's mind. 

"Have to be," Kaiba said. He was struck by how good it felt to just _talk_. To say the words and have someone else understand you without a problem. Even despite having spent the week locked in his room, Kaiba was still constantly aware how everyone struggled to understand him. His own staff, his little brother (who was amazing about the whole thing and did everything he could to make things feel entirely normal.). Emails took ages and phone calls were off the table entirely. If he needed to watch a video and it wasn't captioned he was screwed. It piled up and it was exhausting him almost as much as the actual work. 

Atem had gone very quiet, looking at the empty space between them: "Feels like we should be playing something."

Kaiba felt conflicted. He didn't want to admit that he thought he was too tired to have a duel where he battled against Atem the way he wanted to, at the height of his abilities, he wanted to duel him, the mere thought filling him with excitement, but he didn't want to have a half-assed duel, where he lost due to not being able to think properly. 

Atem smiled and gestured to the space between them: "Just this... space," he paused for a moment: "Can I confide in you? I - have no one else. Besides my partner, but I can't talk to him about this."

"You had a fight with him," he didn't phrase it like a question, but he wasn't as certain as he sounded. Mokuba was right. It did seem impossible the two of them would fight. 

"No. Yes. No. More like about him. But no. Not quite," Atem sighed: "Anzu came here from America yesterday," he looked up to see if Kaiba was following. They were both constantly using Japanese words in their speech and it was impossible to know if the other knew the same words. Kaiba nodded to indicate he did follow.

"She ran into our house and the first thing she did was kiss me."

" _Oh._ " Kaiba had no idea what to say to that. No one had come to him with a conversation like that ever. He dreaded the day Mokuba might, but that he had at least thought about and he and Mokuba had had a few very awkward conversations, where he explained that despite him being completely out of his depth when it came to things like that he still expected Mokuba to come to him if he had troubles. He was there for him no matter what the nature of his troubles. Someone else coming to him for love advice had never even crossed his mind. He took one of the laptops from his table, while Atem talked. He felt he couldn't afford to waste time. That and the conversation was getting too awkward for eye contact. 

"Yugi loves Anzu. Has loved her since they were in elementary school and I thought, I thought that when I left this world Anzu would finally realize that everything she loves about me and thinks is good about me is actually Yugi. That Yugi is a _times_ better boyfriend than I could ever be. He's so kind and sweet and amazing - how could anyone not absolutely _adore_ him?I knew Anzu wanted to study abroad, but I thought they would still end up together. At the very least I thought they would always stay friends, I mean, the bonds between my friends always seemed unbreakable. I never had a doubt they would last. But as I returned I found Anzu had pretty much not talked to Yugi at all since she left. He tried to write it off to her being busy, but I could tell he was hurt by it. Not even by the fact they didn't end up together, but by the fact that they had lost contact. And then when Yugi finally got hold of her a few days ago and told her I was back, she flew over with no second thoughts and I could see how hurt Yugi was by the fact. He tried to downplay the meanings of her actions by pointing out that me coming back from the dead is a huge thing and how could she not come, but he was hurt. She had ignored him all this time, but came for me even if I hadn't asked. In fact over the video call we had I told her I understood she was busy and she said she wasn't even that busy, which meant she either lied to me to make me feel better or had been lying to Yugi this whole time. I chose to believe she lied to me..."

Kaiba was only half-listening. He had no idea what to say to any of this and he wasn't sure Atem even wanted any sort of an input. 

"So she comes over, kisses me, it's about as awkward as you can imagine times a thousand. I mean, I can practically feel Yugi's heart breaking, but he tries to act really happy for me and the thing is - I don't even like Anzu. I mean - I _do_ like her, she's my friend, I appreciate her a lot, but - I'm not in love with her. Yugi has always tried to match us up, because he knows Anzu likes me and he loves Anzu so he thought I would too. And - ," he sighed: "This is really terrible of me, but I liked going on dates with Anzu. I liked spending time with the people I liked, doing something other than playing Duel Monsters. I liked being able to have a whole day, where I could talk to someone and go to places and eat food and _be a person._ I was so selfish, but I thought there was no harm. I would move on and Yugi would end up together with Anzu and everyone would be happy." 

"Aside from you," Kaiba pointed out.

"Well... Yes, but that wasn't important. Besides, I figured I'd be happy in the afterlife." 

"You weren't," Kaiba said, again, not a question, an observation. 

"I wasn't. Death is hugely false advertised as this thing that puts you at peace, but peace is something that comes from within."

Kaiba had no idea what to do with a statement so philosophical so he addressed something else: "Wanting to have a day to yourself really doesn't sound selfish. I mean, I'm hugely selfish, so it is possible I just can't tell anymore, but I'm sure if you told Yugi he'd understand."

"Oh I'm sure he would. I'm not worried about that. Anyway, it gets worse. So, we tried to laugh off the kiss. It was terrible and awkward. For all three of us. Anzu isn't stupid and could tell I wasn't too into it, she was very apologetic and flustered. We all tried to play it down a bit and forget about it, but things didn't really get much better. She kept flirting with me, unintentionally perhaps, it was the worst interaction I've ever had in my life, because everything she said Yugi had to tell me and everything I said, Yugi had to tell her." 

"You've been alive for the whole of a week, Atem."

"I'm counting my other lives too."

"Really? You're counting all the times you and your supposed friends' lives that you supposedly care so much about have been in mortal danger too and you decide this was still worse?" Kaiba knew he was being mean, but Atem was being overdramatic and he was overworked and exhausted. 

"I _do_ care about them," Atem grit through his teeth: "That's - ," he sighed: "It _was_ awful. Yugi was so hurt by her. I couldn't take it. I understand you can't force yourself to love someone. I understand that you can't help, who you love either, even if I'm not sure why anyone would choose _me_ over _Yugi_ as a boyfriend."

Kaiba rolled his eyes: “This putting yourself down talk, doesn't suit you." 

Atem shrugged: "I understand. But she knows Yugi likes her and Yugi and Anzu are supposed to be friends and she just sat there and talked and talked about her life and - she only talked to me. It was as if Yugi was there only to interpret for us. It felt awful. My partner kept telling me it was only, because she's happy to see me, but she completely ignored Yugi in favour of me all the time. Even as I tried my hardest to include Yugi. I mean - you'd think it would be hard to include _me_. I don't even speak Japanese!" Kaiba saw from the corner of his eyes how Atem threw his hands up in the air, his gaze still mostly on his laptop: "But somehow she managed to completely ignore Yugi the whole time," Atem paused. "Kaiba?"

"Mm?" Kaiba hummed. Was he expected to weigh in somehow? He had no idea what to say. 

"Do you want to play something?"

" _Yes,"_ Kaiba was startled by the obvious enthusiasm in his own voice. He didn't have time for this. He needed to work. He didn't even really have time to be listening to Atem complain about his love life, but the mere thought of playing against his rival seemed to fill him with a sort of excitement he could not manage to beat down a second time. Atem had explicitly asked this time, instead of merely pointing out it felt like they needed to play something and suddenly Seto couldn't resist. He met Atem's eyes and saw similar excitement and happiness reflected in his, which made him feel a little less embarrassed about his outburst. Sure, most people wouldn't consider it an outburst at all, but he did.

"Do you have the sort of deck with the hearts and diamonds and such?" 

"Seriously, who do you take me for? I run one of the most successful gaming companies in the world. Of course I own - whatever that kind of a deck is called," he got up, rummaged through some of his drawers until he found one of the nicer sets he had. It was an old deck with gold rims where the Queens, Kings, jacks and Aces were hand painted beautifully. He threw the deck to Atem, who looked through it: "You don't do anything half-way, do you?"

"You're my rival. I spent millions bringing you back to life. It would be an insult to play with just any deck," Kaiba scoffed, sounding pretty offended. 

Atem against all odds just smiled warmly: "It's a gorgeous deck. How did you come by it?"

"It was my father's," Atem looked understandably confused, so Kaiba elaborated: "My actual father's. Birth father. Whatever you want to call him. We somehow managed to keep this one with us through living with 8 different families. Still surprises me to this day how we did it," he said, shrugging. He was purposefully very nonchalant about this. The last thing he wanted was Atem to feel sorry for him. 

"Then I'm honoured to be playing this deck with you," the former Pharaoh said, terribly serious. Still, not the worst possible reaction. 

"What do you want to play?"

"I was going to suggest Cheat, but now that you've presented me with this -, " Atem begun and Kaiba could just feel another Heart of The Cards speech oncoming so he tried to nip it at the bud. 

"Don't read too much into _that_. That's fine. But - You really want to play a game of _lying_ with _me_?"

"Yes. I tried playing it with Yugi and it went.. interestingly. Meaning it didn't end. We went around playing for 4 hours and neither was able to bluff the other not once. We were unable to tell a single lie successfully."

"Well, you have that telepathic link thing," Kaiba thought. "Must make lying hard."

Atem shook his head: "We can choose to use it and choose to keep the other one out."

"Interesting. How do we play? Which rules are we using?**"

Atem thought about it: "How about we play without rank order and you can put up to 4 cards with the same rank down at once. That way you can technically win without lying."

"You're worried we won't be able to successfully bluff to each other?"

"After the experience I had with my partner, I don't want to risk it. At first it was funny. After 4 hours it was... not funny anymore." Atem said, shuffling the cards. Unlike their Duel Monsters cards these playing cards didn't have sleeves and Kaiba could see Atem being slightly careful handling them. Kaiba wondered if he should get sleeves for them too after all. 

"I think that kind of ruins the purpose of the game," Kaiba thought as Atem dealt. He knew he would want to beat Atem by actually playing the game, rather than letting his deck run out by just telling truths. 

"I agree, actually and I suppose you wouldn't just let a game end like that. You'd want a proper end." Atem said and Kaiba almost shivered at the way the other man nearly read his mind. He also wondered about the implication that Atem thought they knew each other as well Yugi and he knew each other. Well he supposed they would find out soon enough if that was true or not: "A pair of kings." Kaiba said. A truth. 

"A pair of Kings," Atem repeated confidently and Kaiba narrowed his eyes at the other man. He had no other Kings in his own hand and Atem seemed reluctant to actually lie. Not winning really had as much of an effect on him as it did on Kaiba. 

"Truth," Kaiba decided: "Is that what you and Yugi have been doing all week? Playing different games?" he didn't sound malicious. Just curious. 

Atem revealed the stack, 4 kings. All truth. The pile was discarded and Kaiba filed the knowledge away. He was sure they were both reading cards. They were just too focused on the game not to. "Not only, but that's been a part of it. A nice part. There are so many games I never got to play and it's nice to play just for fun." Atem replied.

Kaiba hummed in response, feeling a bit jealous. He had so little time to play for fun these days. He did, sometimes (rarely), despite Mokuba claiming he never had fun anymore. Kaiba found himself thinking he should try and make more time for playing with his brother. Why were there never enough hours in a day?

As if on cue Mokuba stepped inside. "Nii-..." he began, saw Atem and Kaiba sitting on the floor holding cards and took a step back.

"What's wrong?" Kaiba asked in a tongue that still sounded pretty much as foreign as it had a week ago. 

Mokuba wrote and spoke _Nothing. Wanted to see what you were doing. Can I stay and watch you play?_

Kaiba nodded.

"Atem?" Mokuba asked.

"Mokuba wants to know if he can watch us play." 

Atem smiled and nodded: "Of course. Two sevens." Atem said. 

"A seven," Kaiba added casually. A lie. 

"Liar."

Kaiba nearly jumped. Picked up the pile and and added it to his hand. Cheat had an annoyingly large hand, but he could also comfortably hold his entire Duel Monsters deck in his hand, so it was fine. 

"An Ace," Atem set one card. "Do you and Mokuba play often?"

Kaiba had all three of the other Aces so Atem's move could have been true. He picked three cards at random: "Three Aces. Not as much as we'd like to. We're both busy with Kaiba Corp."

"A lie," Atem called and then shocked Kaiba further: "Why won't he join us? We just started. We can deal all the cards between the three of us." 

Kaiba picked up the cards, looked at Mokuba, gestured at the space between them. He didn't know how to say what he wanted and he could not write what he wanted to say. 

Atem asked Mokuba something. In Japanese. It made Kaiba feel - inadequate. He knew he could have studied the language at least to an extent far better than what he currently knew had he had more time. There just weren't enough hours in a day, but that still felt like an excuse someone weak and pathetic would make. If his rival could put together proper sentences without the help of highlighting in books or copy-pasting words on a screen, so should he be able to. 

Mokuba seemed to light up at the suggestion. Is _it all right with you?_

Kaiba nodded stiffly. 

_Sure?_

The older brother rolled his eyes: "Yes."

Mokuba got an e-mail alert. He checked it. Looked frustrated and Kaiba saw he was as thorn between work and his desire to play with them as he himself had been. He didn't know what to tell him: "Is everything all right?" he asked. One of the few things he could and knew how to ask.

_Yes. Don't worry. I should probably take this. Might be important. I'll come back later to see you win. Okay?_

Kaiba nodded. He felt useless. He should have been handling whatever needed to be handled instead of indulging in a card game with his rival. 

_It really is all right. Play with Atem. You need a break. I, of course wish you slept, but you getting some human interaction makes me happy too._

Kaiba made a face, but really it made him feel both happy and a little bit sad. It was comforting that he could always count on Mokuba to pretty much read his mind without any stupid magic. He also wanted Mokuba to worry less about him, but he didn't also want to sit around being useless while he managed their company.

Atem sighed: "Two Jacks. This language is so hard part of me fears I'll never learn it, I mean the spoken one maybe, but the written one has three different alphabets. Three!"

Kaiba wondered if Atem was ever going to tell a lie. If he was only going to tell truths this would be no fun: "A pair of Jacks. I guess I have that advantage over you. I can read," he conceded: "Still need to learn to write again. Well, I did it once," he shrugged. 

Atem nodded: "A pair of Jacks... It really hit home hard today that I can't rely on my partner for every conversation without also hurting him, I don't want to hurt him."

Kaiba hesitated a moment. Had he missed a lie before? No: “A lie," obviously Atem had also just gotten tired of playing it safe. 

Atem picked up the cards: "I feel like I did wrong today, but I have no idea what else I could have done. I couldn't take Yugi being ignored anymore so I got up and left. Anzu followed me. Wanted to know what was going on, so of course Yugi had to come too. I said I thought it was rude how she was just ignoring Yugi. She - got very angry with me. Said that she had come all this way to see me and I was being cold and hurtful towards her. She asked if I even really liked her or of I was just playing with her feelings. I said I never intended to play with her feelings. I never thought there could be anything serious between us, because I was nothing, but a ghost in my partner's body. For a long time my friends weren't even really aware I was a separate person from Yugi. For some time _I_ didn't even feel like I was a separate person from Yugi. She said that she always knew. She always knew there were two sides to her friend. I said that that's just it - I'm not just a side of Yugi and Yugi is not a kinder side of me. We're two entirely separate people who shared a body. We're - soulmates and partners. We're inseparable, but still our own selves. She said she knew that. Why else would she fall for one and not the other. I could tell that hurt Yugi more than anything else that had happened and it was all my fault. If I hadn't started the confrontation she might not have said it. Anzu saw that Yugi was hurt too and there was just this - awful terribly silence during which, I think we all wished we could go back and never had this conversation. I said she should have picked better for she couldn't find a kinder more compassionate boyfriend in the world than Yugi. And then I just - left - Anzu called after me, saying I can't just leave after she came all this way, but I couldn't stay. I was mad at her. Even if she didn't mean what she had said. She shouldn't have said it. I'm sure she knew that too, but - I couldn't stay. I told Yugi I was going to call you and see if you would have my documents ready, go and clear my head a bit. I shouldn't have left him alone there with Anzu, but - I am not as calm and collected as Yugi...." Atem was sitting on the floor, hugging his knees, studying the fabric of the horrible black sweatpants that did not suit him at all. 

Kaiba had felt it would be rude to break his rival's admission, so he only spoke once Atem fell quiet: "Two pairs." He had nothing more to add. 

"Two pairs. The horrible thing is, much as I feel bad about it - I still didn't even think that maybe me coming back was a mistake. I'm still happy to be back." 

"A lie."

"No - well. fine, I did consider it. The thought did cross my mind, but I thought about it and it still doesn't feel wrong. To be back."

"The cards, Atem," Kaiba said dryly.

"Oh," Atem revealed a nine and an eight and picked up the pile.

"But you are right to feel that way. You don't owe your life to anyone. You don't earn your right to live. To exist in this world. It's something everyone has. It's not negated by you slightly hurting your friends. Four Aces." 

"Truth," Atem guessed. 

"The statement or the cards?" Kaiba asked. 

"Both."

Kaiba nodded and discarded the pile after revealing it. "She was being selfish anyway. And that's coming from me. She knew how Yugi felt, everyone knows how Yugi feels, the boy is an open book and even if you went on a few dates. That doesn't entitle her to anything."

"A pair of fives. Mmm. I did always think going on these dates was a bad idea. I always feared it would end with someone getting hurt. Yugi did too. We both worried about Anzu. But I thought they would end together and it would be okay. I thought I could have a few dates with real no harm."

"A five," Kaiba said truthfully: "There's nothing wrong with having a few dates to see how you feel either. Or to just have fun, I guess," Kaiba said, making a face. This felt - awkward, but he understood that Atem really had no one else to talk to and he was enjoying his company: "I can't believe I'm actually trying to give relationship advice. Was hoping to avoid this until Mokuba started dating." 

"Truth," Atem decided and fives were shown and discarded. "What kind of advice will you give him?" Atem set another card: "A five."

"The same I am giving you I suppose," Kaiba paused. "Interesting move. A lie." 

Atem picked up the card. They played for ages, trying to outwit and bluff the other but never quite managing. It was small things, hints in the body language, the way Atem's eyes moved from one card to the next as he decided what to play next combined with the fact that Kaiba knew the way his rival thought, which meant that Atem could never tell a successful lie. (At least not in a game, where he was specifically looking for lies and truths and where the lies were simple and had to do with nothing but card ranks). Unfortunately the same was true for him as he tried to lie to Atem. All his attempts failed. They did eventually run out of cards as they kept discarding them when they called out each other's truths, but neither was satisfied with winning without managing a successful lie, so they would simply re-start the game. 

Mokuba had joined to watch, mostly saying quiet, but still clearly observing the game. He left sometime in the middle of their second game and Kaiba thought he had more work he couldn't avoid, but his brother returned with milkshakes for both of them. Atem actually voiced his thanks, while Kaiba just hummed appreciatively.

"Oh, it's delicious," Atem noted and gave Mokuba a thumbs up and said something that Kaiba was pretty sure meant "delicious". Mokuba beamed so Kaiba grunted in agreement, knowing Mokuba would both understand and appreciate it. He was pretty sure Mokuba had made the drinks himself, instead of having a maid make them: "A seven," Kaiba lied.

"Did you think I'd be distracted by a milkshake? A lie."

"A guy can dream," Kaiba said dryly as he picked the card back up.

"Seven," Atem said again, setting a card. "Do you think I was too hard on Anzu?"

Kaiba snorted: "A seven," he set a card, one that he had taken from the exact same place, where he had put his seven earlier. However there were two cards there, on top of each other.

"So we're resorting to cheap card tricks? A lie." 

Kaiba shrugged, picked the cards up again: "Worth a try. I knew you'd see through it." 

"Good. I'd be offended if you thought a cheap tactic like that would work on me. A pair of Queens." 

Kaiba rolled his eyes: "Then don't try and use similar cheap tricks, like flashing the cards by accident, making it obvious you're playing pictured cards to make me think you're telling the truth. Liar." It was cheap really, but they were both getting desperate. His back was starting to hurt and his legs were getting a bit numb. He didn't want to stop, not by any means, but he had been exhausted to begin with and he felt it creeping in. He would have to have a small nap after this. 

Atem shrugged: "Worth a try," he picked up his cards: "Do you think Yugi's worried?" 

"A pair of.. pairs. I don't know. Can't you tell? Didn't you tell him where you went?"

"I did. And no I can't. Not from this distance. We must be near each other to communicate. A another pair."

"Truth. Then I think he would call Mokuba if he was truly worried," Kaiba said and Mokuba looked over curiously. Slid a note at Seto as Atem discarded cards. 

_What about me?_

Kaiba shook his head and searched his brain for some words: "Has.. Yugi...phoned?" It sounded more like he was hesitant about the wording rather than simply wondering if Yugi had called. Aside from Mokuba and a few members of his staff he tried to avoid speaking altogether. It was embarrassing, He knew technically he would learn better if he used the words, but he also could feel how brain-dead he sounded and his pride simply couldn't take it. 

_Me? No Yugi hasn't called me. Do you want me to call him?_

Kaiba shook his head: "Atem... worries." 

"Ah," Mokuba said. _I can call him if he likes. Invite him over?_

"Do you want Mokuba to call Yugi over? A four," Kaiba set a card.

"It's fine. You're right. If he was very worried, he would come himself, I think. We can spend a few hours apart. A pair of fours." 

Kaiba smirked: "Can you really? A four." 

"Yes, we can. Truth." Atem said and Kaiba flipped the cards, revealing all the fours. 

They went on a while still, that game turned into next, turned into next without a single successful bluff. Kaiba was getting to a point where he couldn't keep his eyes open, he could feel his consciousness slipping against his will and he dug his nails into his thigh to keep himself awake. He knew he just had to push through this wave of tiredness and then he would be fine again. He refused to do something as embarrassing as falling asleep in front of his greatest rival. 

"Kaiba?"

Kaiba's face snapped to meet Atem, ready to deny any accusations of falling asleep. There was a set card in front of him though and he didn't recall Atem saying anything.

"A pair of Kings," Atem repeated, mercifully. It was obvious he was repeating himself. He sounded worried even if he didn't say anything about the state Kaiba was in. It annoyed Kaiba. Atem used the same worried you-should-really-take-care-of-yourself tone Mokuba had.

"A pair of Kings," Kaiba said, truthfully. They played a while longer. Atem was going heavy on telling the truths and Kaiba was about to accuse him of just wanting to get to the end of the game, when he told a lie and Kaiba relaxed. Thankfully his rival was too honourable to just "get the game over with". Still, they were steadily reaching the end of another round without either of them managing to fool another when Atem suddenly paused after Kaiba had set two. Kaiba looked back into the purple-reddish eyes of his rival and wondered why he was staring at him like that: "What?"

"The whites of your eyes are more red than white," Atem pointed out. 

"Well, your irises are a colour no human's should be, so shut up." 

Atem snorted: "What did you set?" 

Kaiba's blood ran cold. He had no idea, which cards he had set, he remembered it being a pair. A pair of hearts. A lie then, seeing as cards of same rank couldn't be of the same suit, but what had he _said_ it was? He had no clue. 

"Hmph. Weren't you paying attention?" He had a feeling Atem knew he didn't remember, but he hoped he wouldn't be called out on it.

Atem smirked: "I was. Of course. A lie." 

Kaiba picked up the cards, studied them a bit, to see what Atem had set first to figure out what his lie had been. A pair of six. Right. Okay. He had stopped reading cards two games ago. He was too tired. It was ridiculous. He shouldn't feel tired, but even the excitement of playing with Atem could barely keep him awake anymore. 

"Another?" he suggested stubbornly as he ran out of cards.

"Yes, but not right away." Atem replied and Kaiba couldn't help but feel a bit relieved. His legs were completely numb under him and he wondered how the hell he was going to get up gracefully. He looked up and it seemed like Atem was having the same issue. He stood and then instantly fell on Kaiba's bed that was right behind him, groaning: "Oh that's - do you mind if I sit here for a moment?" 

"No. In fact I think I'll join you," Kaiba said, but carried on sitting there, trying to form a plan that didn't involve him falling to his face. He noticed Atem was holding out a hand for him and he decided to take the offer, just this once and found himself sitting on his bed with his rival a moment later. 

Mokuba was still sitting where he had been watching them for the better part of the afternoon, looking at the cards, his lips moving slightly, but he wasn't saying anything out loud and Kaiba wondered if he was reliving some distant memory from their childhood.

"Mokuba?" he asked, both curious and wanting to draw him out of it in case it was some unpleasant memory. Not like they had many good ones in his opinion. 

Mokuba looked up and smiled at him: “Nii-sama," he said, before going through the cards in order: "Two, Three, Four, Five, Six... Sevens... Eights, Nine... Ten... Queen - ," he shook his head: "Jack, Queen, Kings, Ace." 

Atem looked genuinely amazed: "Very good, Mokuba!" he breathed and gave the boy a thumbs up. 

Kaiba knew his brother's abilities closely matched his, so he was less surprised, but the fact that his brother had taken the time not only to watch their game, but use it to learn a dead language only two people spoke was heartwarming, so he smiled too: "Very good... I mean some of these were plurals, but..."

"We did mostly speak in plurals," Atem finished.

"Mmm." 

Mokuba wrote something down, only saying it out loud as he got close enough for Kaiba to read. He had to blink several times to be able to make out the letters that seemed to be swimming before his eyes. _Are you going to take a break now?_

Kaiba nodded: "I'm going to sleep," he announced to Atem and climbed under his blanket ignoring him sitting on his bed completely.

"Okay. Do you mind if I hang around here a bit, before going back home?"

"Go ahead."

"Think Mokuba's fine with it?"

"Ask him." 

"I can't."

"Well, I'm not opening my eyes," he wasn't sure he could if he wanted to. It was a struggle to speak.

"Mokuba..." Atem began, but nothing followed.

"Atem wants.." Kaiba provided, at least he thought he might have said that. He fell asleep without figuring out, whether or not Atem ever managed to finish his request. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Nutella is, apparently, hard to find in Japan.
> 
> **There are apparently a ton of ways to play Cheat. I thought there was only the way we played it in Estonia and people just played it like that. How naive of me, well, turns out there are like 5 different kinds and the English Wikipedia doesn't even list the Estonian version as a valid one (yet, the Estonian one describes the rules as I know them). I decided Kaiba and Atem are playing the Estonian version, which is similar to the Egyptian version, which I originally wanted to have them play, but which requires 4 players and the rules of which I only found in one weird website so I don't know how legit they are. The Estonian version is also most similar to the Chinese version (yeah, I'm surprised too) and I figured that Japan has a lot of Chinese influence so.... I don't know! Okay, I went with that version, cause it's the version I know and I was getting fed up researching Cheat. Okay? Fine. There you have it, The ugly truth. 
> 
> Anyway, in the Estonian version, you can set up to 4 cards and you just say what they are (they all need to be the same rank, but the ranks don't have to go in order) and if the other person says you're lying and they're wrong they need to pick up the whole pile. If you were lying and are caught you need to pick up the whole pile. You can also call truths. The other player can also not do the guessing part and just add more cards of the same rank. (or say that they do).
> 
> I am aware classical decks as we know when didn't exist in Ancient Egypt, but numbers certainly did as well as concepts close enough to Kings (The Pharaoh often gets translated as the King in Japanese anime anyway), Queens and Jacks that I didn't see a problem there.
> 
> I went back and forth on Anzu's behaviour a bit and changed it a bit, but I am still not sure if I got her character right. I find she acts in conflicting ways in canon. Thoughts? Leave them in the comments.


	6. Fragile perfection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Atem's POV

"Kaiba!" Atem cried, but the other man was out cold, completely unresponsive. Well, his rival had been visibly exhausted the entire time he had been here. Atem had half wondered if he would fall asleep in the middle of the game, but Kaiba had far too much pride and competitiveness in him to bow down to tiredness in any sort of game. Atem respected that, understood. He was like that too, a bit. It was a part of him he thought only Kaiba could truly relate to and it made him happy to know that their games, any games, meant so much to both of them, even in a casual setting. He shook his head. Maybe he was just being fanciful. Perhaps he was assigning meanings were there weren't any, maybe Kaiba was just stubborn. 

Atem realized he had been staring at Kaiba for a good minute and it must have looked increasingly odd to Mokuba, who was still standing there, waiting to know what Atem wanted. The former Pharaoh turned to the younger Kaiba and tried to recall every Japanese lesson he and his partner had had, but he just couldn't put together the sentence he wanted. He suddenly felt very lost. Frighteningly even more so than he had when he had realized he and Anzu couldn't talk things out between them without Yugi. Without Yugi or Kaiba no one could understand him. No one could translate him. He was alone. Atem felt a strange sort of panic try and grasp at his heart and he was reminded of the lonely dark endless years of semi-consciousness he had spent inside the puzzle. He almost thought he was going to have a full blown panic attack, but he pushed the feeling down. He was okay. He was alive. He had a body. It was okay. 

"Are you okay?" he heard Mokuba ask. It was a sentence that he had heard spoken again and again in the past week, in films, videos, real life. So he understood. Atem squared his shoulders, put on a confident smile and nodded. He wondered if he should leave. He felt weird staying if he didn't know if Mokuba was really okay with him here. The boy said something else. He didn't understand what. 

"What?" Another word in his limited vocabulary he knew. Mokuba said the same thing again, slower, but all Atem understood was that he was being asked something. A yes or no question probably, but he had no idea what exactly.

"I'm sorry..." he said lamely.

"It's okay!" Mokuba said brightly: "Japanese is hard, isn't it?"

Atem nodded, filled with enthusiasm at understanding something: " _So_ hard."

Mokuba giggled. He said something else. About ... happiness. Atem thought. He wasn't sure. Atem knew it was clear he didn't understand. Mokuba shook his head and got up. Said something. Started to leave. 

"Mokuba!" Atem called after him. The boy paused: "Is this... all right?" 

Mokuba looked confused, so Atem tried to elaborate: "Is this all right? Me... here?"

Mokuba smiled, nodded, gave Atem a thumbs up. Atem smiled back, got up to inspect Kaiba's room. There were a _lot_ of dirty dishes and half-eaten meals everywhere. Kaiba really would focus on one thing and forget about everything else. Atem wondered if Kaiba would mind if he looked at his games. He didn't want to be an ungrateful rude guest. Maybe he should just go home. How would he even get home on his own? He didn't have any money on him and he wasn't sure he would not get lost in Domino. He was pretty familiar with the city, but he had never been here alone after all. Would Mokuba lend him a driver to take him home?

Mokuba said something else Atem didn't understand. He looked at the boy, confused. Mokuba just smiled: "Nothing important."

"Mokuba?" 

"Do you have... _Rose of Versailles_?" It was the name of the first part of the manga he had gotten from him last time. Yugi had teased him quite a bit about being so fascinated with it, but it _was_ fascinating. People were wearing beautiful clothes he had never seen anyone wear anywhere and doing interesting things, living lives completely differently from the way he had, but also from the way Yugi and his friends did. At first he had thought it all pure fiction, but then Yugi had explained that no, people really had dressed like that once as well. Atem was all in all endlessly fascinated with history between his time and the presence. He already had been when he had been in Yugi's body, but there was _so much of it_. So much to learn. He had thought he more or less understood how the modern world worked, but every now and again he was suddenly faced with a huge gap in his knowledge. 

Mokuba nodded: "Wait," he left. Atem knew _Rose of Versailles_ wasn't an accurate history book, it was still mostly fiction, but it had historical elements and it was simply so _fascinating_. Besides, he couldn't read large heavy history books on his own, but with manga, reading at least felt manageable. He had pictures to look at and there was helpful little hiragana that he could read above the kanji. Even if most times he still didn't know what the word meant once he read it. Plus Yugi wasn't here right now and perhaps the only upside of that that Atem could see was the fact that he wouldn't be teased for reading _Rose of Versailles._ He wondered if Yugi was mad at him now or if he was simply trying to give him space. He worried. He really should go home. Mokuba returned with the rest of 9 volumes of _Rose of Versailles_. Atem decided he could go soon enough. First he needed to know what Marie Antoinette and Oscar were up to. His eyes must have lit up visibly, because Mokuba chuckled as he handled him the volumes and left saying something merry. 

Kaiba's bed was ridiculously huge, so Atem went and laid down on the opposite side of him with the books. There was still plenty of space between him and Kaiba so he didn't think much of it. He only had eyes for the books Mokuba had gotten him. He was halfway through the second volume, when he suddenly felt Kaiba throw an arm over him. He looked over to see the man, still fast asleep, having moved a great deal closer. Still, he thought nothing of it. People had no control over what they did in their sleep, besides he had no problems with it either. If anything he actually liked it. It felt grounding, less lonely. He still felt an underlining loneliness when neither Kaiba nor Yugi were there to talk to, although he tried to ignore it. It was fine. He was fine. 

A maid entered the room, clearly trying very hard to be completely silent as she cleaned up the all the dirty dishes. She obviously took note of her boss's sleeping arrangement and Atem wondered if he should move somewhere else. He didn't want to give the staff members reason to gossip. If Kaiba caught them doing it they would surely get fired and Atem would feel bad. Well, she had already seen them. Not much him leaving would do now. Atem turned back to his book. 

Mokuba came in with a tray of snacks some time later. He paused and stared at Seto, who was now practically snuggling into Atem's side, laying in a strange practically diagonal pose. Atem looked over at Mokuba's shocked expression, smiled and shrugged. Mokuba said something that sounded fond and bemused. Atem didn't understand, so the younger boy just set a tray of fruit and cheese on the nightstand next to the bed.

"Thank you," Atem said. 

"No problem. Are you okay?"

Atem nodded. He thought it was very nice of Mokuba to take the time to check on him. He was obviously also very busy. He looked better slept than his brother, but it was clear he was stressed too and he was walking around his own mansion in a full suit, constantly fiddling with his phone and checking for messages. Atem had one of those too now and he wondered if he should try calling or texting Yugi, but he had no idea how to say any of the things he wanted to say. He should apologize. He should go home. He'd find a way. Maybe Mokuba could get him a car. If not, well, he'd find his way home. Probably. Hopefully. He looked outside and found it was getting dark and on top of that it was raining. It probably wasn't very warm out, he was in a T-shirt and sweatpants and he wasn't entirely sure how to get home. Okay, maybe going home by himself wasn't the greatest idea ever. He would just wait until Kaiba woke and ask for a ride home. Yeah. Hopefully Kaiba wouldn't sleep for days. He had looked like he could. 

Kaiba did wake sometime around the third volume, but Atem had been making slow process as it was. He hummed and pressed his nose into Atem's T-shirt, having only gotten closer to him as time went on. For a man who hated hugs, he sure cuddled a lot in his sleep, Atem thought: "Hey. Feel better?"

"Still tired," Kaiba mumbled sleepily. He pulled away from the other man: "Why are you in my bed?"

Atem shrugged: "I wanted to read. There seemed to be enough free space when I started."

Kaiba pulled away, even further. He was obviously embarrassed, but didn't say anything. So Atem did: "It's fine, Kaiba. You were asleep. I don't mind. I told you - I like hugs." 

Kaiba huffed, turned on his back, looked up at the ceiling: "What are you reading?"

" _Rose of Versailles._ Well, trying to. I don't understand most of it. Just mostly going by the pictures." 

"Isn't that that feminine romance drivel?"

Atem shrugged, took some cheese off the tray and simply said: "I like it." 

"What are you eating?" 

"Cheese and grapes. Mokuba brought them," he said, took the tray from the nightstand and placed it between them: "Want some?"

Kaiba took a piece of cheese, popped it into his mouth and just chewed quietly. Atem figured now might be a good idea to ask him to lend one of his cars: "Hey, I think I want to go home. Yugi might be worried."

No reply. 

"I was thinking - could I borrow one of your - cars?" Was that what they were called?: "And the person that comes with it."

Still no reply. Atem turned to look at Kaiba. The man had his eyes closed and his breathing was slow and deep: "You fell back asleep, didn't you?"

No reply. Atem sighed. He figured he really needed to call Yugi. Just in case, so he wouldn't worry. He must have laid on Kaiba's bed a good while, thinking of what to say (or more precisely, how to say it), because after a while, he felt an already familiar arm loosely draping itself over him. Atem smirked and wondered if it meant something that Kaiba actively sought out human contact the moment he was unconscious. Maybe he craved it too. Atem was just about ready to dial Yugi's number, when he felt his presence in his mind.

_Atem? Are you here somewhere? I called Mokuba. He said you were fine and I'm not sure if you even want to see me, but..._

_Of course I want to see you! Of course! Why would I not? I missed you so much! I'm glad you came._ He really ought to calm down. He was sounding like an overexcited puppy. I _thought of calling you, but I didn't know how to say anything. I'm sorry I sort of ran off. I just couldn't stay there. I shouldn't have left you alone to deal with Anzu. I'm sorry. It was selfish of me._

_I understand. Where are you at?_

_Kaiba's room. Where are you? (I want to see you!)_ Atem took a deep breath and tried to filter his thoughts better. He sounded too needy. Yet another one slipped through. _I feel so lonely without you._

_Me too. It's scary how easily I got used to having you here again, but at the same time, when you leave, I get this feeling - part of me is scared you'll never come back. That you've left again. I know you haven't, but the fear is there._

_I know how you feel._ Atem said seriously. _This all feels too good to be true._

_Kaiba's butler won't let me see you._

_We'll see about that._ Atem said, gently removed Kaiba's arm from around him, trying hard not to wake him, before marching confidently over to main hall, barefoot in sweatpants and a white T-shirt, still somehow managing to look like the king he was. He found Kaiba's butler being quite stern with his non-confrontational partner, who had grown immensely as a person while he was gone, while also remaining his sweet and kind self. It filled Atem's heart with pride and joy. Still, he grabbed Yugi's arm and dragged him towards Kaiba's room, not paying any attention to what the butler was saying, not that he would understand any of it anyway. 

_He says we can't go ther_ e. Yugi informed.

_And I say we can. Both Mokuba and Kaiba allowed it._

Yugi said something apologetic to the butler, while Atem simply swung the door open and closed it with a bang. Only remembering a moment later that Kaiba was sleeping. He figured Mokuba might be quite pissed if he woke his exhausted brother that hadn't slept for days. Still, it seemed Kaiba just kept sleeping. 

_Why are we in Kaiba's bedroom?_

_It's where we were. And where the books Mokuba gave me are._

_I can't believe you're still reading_ Rose of Versailles _. A tough guy like you._

 _I like it._ Atem thought, pointedly getting cosy on the huge bed again with his book. _Besides, are you saying I don't have a soft side?_

 _No! I'm not saying that at all!_ Yugi looked flustered still even as he didn't speak out aloud. 

_I was joking,_ partner... Atem offered softly. He was wondering if he should say something about what had happened earlier as Yugi sat awkwardly on the edge of the bed. _Do you want to go elsewhere?_

 _Home?_ Yugi offered.

Atem felt ungrateful for feeling this way, but he was sick and tired of Yugi's tiny attic room. Kaiba's whole bed was the size of the thing. He looked over to his sleeping rival and wondered if he would mind if they'd leave without saying anything. Probably not. 

_What did you two get up to?_ Yugi asked, thankfully changing the subject. 

_We played Cheat. I made Kaiba feel awkward by talking about my feelings._

Yugi was very quiet then, so Atem looked over to him. 

_You don't have to be so concerned about hurting me all the time. Your feelings are important too. You should be able to express yourself freely as well._ Yugi explained. 

_But it did hurt you. **I** hurt you. I shouldn't have never gone out with Anzu. I knew how you felt about her, but I thought nothing bad would come from it. _

_None of this is your fault! Nothing bad did come of it!_ Yugi argued fiercely. _I'd be so happy for the two of you. Plus, she likes you. It matters how she feels too and she doesn't feel that way about me. It's okay._

Atem wasn't sure if it was. Romantic feelings aside friends didn't just ignore friends. _I don't feel that way about her. Not as strongly as you do._

 _That's - subjective._ Yugi argued. _I just wish she wouldn't ignore me, but now things between us are even more awkward. We tried to smooth things out. She felt terrible about what she said, but I don't know how things will feel from now on. Certainly not better._

Atem's heart ached as Yugi looked so terribly hurt. He pulled the shorter boy into his arms and held him there. _It's not,_ he paused. _She's my friend. She's dear to me, but I don't feel the sort of closeness with her that I do with you. Nowhere near._ He wiped some silent tears off his partner's face and felt like he could cry too. **_I'm sorry._**

 ** _It's not your fault._** The intensity of the statement nearly knocked air out of Atem's lungs. He hugged Yugi tighter as his partner started to cry even harder. 

_I'm sorry. I should be more mature about this. It's fine._ Atem heard Yugi apologize. 

_You can't be mature about heartache, my partner..._

_It's fine. Besides, you're right. I feel the same way. What we have is - more special than my ridiculous naive crush on Anzu._

_It's different. It's not ridiculous. Not at all._ Atem said, running his hands through Yugi's hair soothingly. 

Kaiba once again thew his arm over Atem, but as Yugi was also in Atem's lap, he was basically cuddling with the two of them now. _See? Even Kaiba agrees._

Yugi laughed. _What did you do to the poor man to tire him so?_

_Hours of Cheat. Although to be fair he was already exhausted when I got here._

_Poor Kaiba._ Yugi thought. _I've been following news. They're on Mokuba's case too. They found out Kaiba was in hospital somehow so there is all this talk of him possibly not being capable of running KaibaCorp and some people are saying that Mokuba is too young and not qualified to do it in his place._

Atem felt his anger flare. _Of course Kaiba's capable! He's brilliant. And he puts his heart and soul into his company. They're so wrong!_

_Of course they are, but that's tabloids for you._

Mokuba entered the room, both of his eyebrows rising to his hairline as he took in the sight before him. He said something and Yugi laughed.

_What?_

_He said the sight gets stranger and stranger every time he walks in. Asked if there will be four people in Kaiba's bed next time he comes in._

Atem shrugged. _I don't know who else might join us._

Yugi and Mokuba exchanged a few words. Atem could tell even without translation that both asked if the other was doing all right. He could also tell that both lied in response. Atem tried to go back to his book, but it was hard with all the talking and two people hugging him. Not that he was complaining. It actually kind of amazing and he tried not to think too hard about how happy and oddly safe he felt sandwiched between his apparently very cuddly-when-unconcious rival and his partner. He also tried not to think about the fact that this was a strange circumstance of events that was more than likely to never re-occur in his life. Mokuba left with a fiendish grin and Atem wondered what he had missed while in his reverie. 

_You look sad._ Yugi noted. 

_It's fine, partner._

_Is this about Anzu still?_

_No. Not at all actually._

_What then?_

_Nothing. Just a silly thought I had. You know, Kaiba and I couldn't really beat each other at Cheat either._

_What?! Really? You didn't get to bluff successfully?_

_Nope. Neither did he._

_Wow. Maybe he was right then after all._

_Right about what?_

_When Kaiba was trying to bring you back from the dead, he said that I had my bond with you and he had his._

_Really? **Kaiba** openly said something like that about me?_

_I swear._

Atem looked over at the sleeping man. _Maybe it's not just my imagination then._

_What isn't?_

_I've been - feeling like we've gotten closer, but I thought maybe that was only because of the fact that we share a language no one else speaks, that it is all my wishful thinking, but perhaps it is not._

_I'm sure it's not just wishful thinking. You didn't see, but he was really taking the loss of you hard. He was obsessed with dueling you again._

_And we haven't even the dueled since I came back. Neither of us remembers how the duel in the Afterlife ended._

_Really?!_

_Really._

_That's the main reason he went. Imagine how disappointed he would have been if he had came back without you, woke up and not remember how the duel had ended._

Mokuba walked back inside the next moment, with a massive camera that he used to take photos of the scene in his brother's bed. Atem and Yugi made all kinds of silly faces, while Mokuba climbed onto the bed for some close ups. 

_What is he going to use them for?_ Atem asked. 

Yugi and Mokuba talked for a while, before Yugi provided an answer. _Leverage_. _To rub them then into his face the next time he gets on a rant about he doesn't have friends, doesn't need anyone, care for anyone, doesn't want closeness, all that stuff._

Atem smiled and gave Mokuba a thumbs up, making the boy giggle. He took another photo, however this time the camera decided to use flash. Mokuba swore. At least it sounded to Atem like he might have been swearing, while Kaiba stirred, rubbing his eyes, as everyone did their best trying to act normal. Mokuba quicky sat behind his brother's computer, pretending to work. Atem picked up _Rose of Versailles_ and pretended to read it. Yugi opted for pretending to be interested in the book too, despite the fact that he had just recently finished teasing Atem about liking it. 

"What are you all doing?" Kaiba asked, it sounded like a complaint. 

"Reading. Well, trying to. I think Mokuba is working on the code you left open."

"Why are you both in my bed?" 

"I wanted to hug Yugi and I was already here, reading comfortably, so I didn't want to move." 

Kaiba's brain finally seemed to come back online enough that he realized he was holding on to them both. He pulled away and sat up: "I should work," he didn't sound happy at the prospect. He stood and went to see what Mokuba was doing. It seemed pretend-work had turned into real work somewhere along the line. Mokuba was writing down something on a piece of paper. 

"Mokuba, you're a genius," Atem heard Kaiba say.

 _Tell Mokuba he's a genius._ Atem told Yugi. 

_Why?_

_No idea, but it's what Kaiba said._

_He says he's not. He only noticed something Kaiba didn't because he was tired and overworked._ Yugi got up to see what they were talking about exactly, leaving Atem alone on the bed. He didn't appreciate it. He had just been snuggled up against two lovely warm bodies and now he was all alone on this huge bed. How did Kaiba sleep like this?

"He says he's not. The only reason you didn't notice it is because you were tired."

Mokuba and Kaiba soon switched their places by the computer, Mokuba leaving his brother to finish up on the screenfuls of text Atem understood nothing off. The former Pharaoh thought they'd have to go home now, but much to both his and Yugi's delight Mokuba invited them to enjoy the vast library of games they had in their game room. Atem knew the moment he entered the room that peaceful afterlife was vastly overrated. He'd much rather spend eternity in this very room, playing different games with Yugi forever. Mokuba must have guessed as much from his expression, he smiled, excused himself and left the two men to their own devices, saying they should make themselves at home. The entire room was surrounded by large shelves that went from floor to ceiling, but instead of books every shelf was filled with various games. There were even more games here than in Yugi's grandfather's store.

 _And I thought your collection of games was impressive._ Atem thought at Yugi. 

_Well I can't beat Kaiba when it comes to owning stuff. Do you think it's really okay? Us playing here?_

_Didn't Mokuba **just** say it was? And that we should enjoy ourselves?_

_Yes, but..._

_Then let's enjoy ourselves, partner._

Atem didn't think they had played for that long, really they had only played a few games, then Yugi made the mistake of looking at the time on his phone.

_Other Me, it's nearly midnight! We need to go home!_

Atem groaned. _But we've only tried a few of these games! There are so many more left to discover!_

Yugi laughed. _If we wanted to play all of them we'd be here for months._

 _I'm okay with that._ Atem thought, completely serious, but Yugi just looked fond, as if he was a kitten, doing something silly. _We can't just move into Kaiba's house. It's rude. Come on, let's say good bye and apologize for staying so long. I'm sure they must be itching to go to bed and we're bothering them._

_Kaiba just finished sleeping. I mean I'm sure he could use more, but I doubt he will sleep for a few days now unless he gets his project finished._

_That's not the point._ Yugi insisted as they stepped inside Kaiba's bedroom once again. Mokuba was sitting on his brother's bed, watching a TV that Atem didn't remember seeing there before. Had it come from inside the wall? Kaiba stood from his seat and stretched, his back was making popping sounds as he did, but he seemed to be enjoying it. He turned to face Atem, a bit surprised: "Good. You're still here. Tell Mokuba I'm done and we can have our employees test the entire thing out all day tomorrow."

Atem nodded, forwarded the message to Yugi, who then forwarded it to Mokuba. Mokuba looked thrilled. 

"He says you're amazing and he knew you could do it," Atem informed. 

Kaiba ran his hand through his hair and groaned: "Need to test it before we celebrate. Make sure it works."

Atem nodded and watched Yugi bow and obviously apologize to Mokuba for them staying so long. Mokuba clearly brushed it off. 

"Yugi thinks we're imposing and being a bother, so we're going home now," Atem informed.

Kaiba raised an eyebrow, looked at the time and said: "Really? It's nearly midnight. Wouldn't it be wiser to just stay here? I send most of my staff home for the night so I don't have a driver to give you. I suppose I could drive you, but it feels like it would obviously be _less_ of a bother if you stayed here." 

_Kaiba's inviting us to stay here for the night._ Atem told Yugi.

_Really? Kaiba is saying that? Are you sure you're not being very liberal with your translations?_

_He says it would be more of a bother send us home than have us stay._

_Well, only if he really says that._

_He does, he says he doesn't have a driver to give us right now._

"We'd be delighted," Atem said, before Yugi could argue more. 

"Really? That was a long silent conversation for just saying you're delighted."

"Well, Yugi had trouble believing we're really not being a bother."

Kaiba scoffed: "That kid is too nice for his own good."

"You're the same age," Atem pointed out.

Kaiba turned to look at his brother watching television: "Ask him if he has eaten anything that requires more making than taking it out of a package?"

Atem asked Yugi to translate and a moment later he gave Mokuba's answer: "He had sandwiches."  
  
Kaiba groaned: "So do I have to ask the servants to cook for him so that he'd have a proper meal? I know he's capable of asking them to cook. He has them cook for me all the time." 

Atem waited for the reply for a bit, smirking when he got it: "He's trying this new diet where he only eats if his only brother does too."

Kaiba rolled his eyes: "I don't remember eating popcorn."

A moment later Mokuba stretched out his arm, offering the bowl of popcorn to Kaiba. Kaiba rolled his eyes once more, but actually took some. 

Atem took some too: "This is delicious!"

"Is there any food you don't like?"

"Sure. Carrots. Green beans."

"God, it's like you're like five years old," Kaiba complained. 

"What is Mokuba watching?" Atem asked, changing the subject.

"Oh, it's this new movie that came out recently. _The Matrix_. People seemed to really like it from what I heard."

" _Can we watch this?_ " Atem asked, both out aloud and sent the question to Yugi at the same time. 

"I don't see why not. Have Mokuba ask the servants to prepare some rooms for you two. Maybe during the next - pause between the film with the clips of things they want us to buy," he sighed: "I still lack so many words."

Atem nodded. In no time at all the four of them were lounging on Kaiba's massive bed with various snacks Mokuba had had brought over, enjoying the film. Yugi was translating most of it for Atem and Atem in turn was clearing some stuff up for Kaiba every now and again when he looked confused, along with Mokuba, who Atem occasionally caught discreetly writing things for his brother in the small notebook he carried. 

Atem loved the film. The concept was fascinating and unique and his eyes seemed glued to the screen. 

"You do know it's not a documentary, right?"

"I'm not stupid, Kaiba."

"Just checking," Kaiba said, throwing some chips into his mouth: "Do you still have no other clothes?" he asked as another loud and weird commercial cut into their film experience. 

"Nope. You told us to lay low so I laid low. Yugi got me some nice sleeveless tops and these pants, but that's it. "

_What's this about me now?_

_Kaiba's unimpressed with my fashion choices. Or rather with the clothes I currently have._

_Ah. I'm sorry. He's right. You do need nice clothes. We can go clothes shopping soon. Are your documents going to be ready soon?_

_I think they are. Kaiba said something about having them._

Kaiba himself cut off the mental conversation Atem was having with Yugi by saying: "I can't have my rival dress in old baggy clothes and and T-shirts. Ask Mokuba if he wants to go and... come and buy stuff with us tomorrow."

Mokuba turned his head at the mention of his name. "We're going shopping?" Atem asked, although he wasn't sure if Kaiba actually knew the word. He hadn't used it and they didn't have an exact match in Ancient Egyptian.

"Mmm. If Mokuba wants to come. I'm not leaving him here to work alone, but he could use a day off."

"So could you," Atem pointed out. 

Kaiba shrugged: "I'm fine."

 _Ask Mokuba if he wants to go shopping with us tomorrow. Apparently Kaiba's taking the four of us to buy me clothes, cause he can't afford to be seen with me like this._ Atem told Yugi. 

_That's... almost nice of him._ Yugi thought and Atem watched him talk to Mokuba. He sounded happy and enthusiastic enough. Atem suspected he was at this point willing to do anything to get Kaiba out of the house. He watched the younger boy exchange a few notes with Kaiba and wondered what they said, Kaiba's hums weren't much to go by even if they always seemed to be enough for Mokuba to get the point. 

The film started again and Atem got back sucked into it. Yugi going back to providing translations for everything important. 

_Are you sure this isn't too much of a bother?_ Atem asked during a fight scene. _Translating everything I mean._

 _Not at all! I'm getting so used to it, I barely notice myself doing it._ Yugi assured with all the warmth and kindness in the world. Atem smiled, wrapped an arm around his partner and snuggled into him. He was perfectly happy there and then. He had his beloved partner, warm and happy by his side, his rival on the other side of him, whose presence, he had recently found, made him feel safe and content as well. There was a good film on and delicious snacks to be had. Life was perfect. He glanced over at Yugi to see that he seemed to be feeling the same way and sunk even further into their embrace, a glance at Kaiba revealed him staring somewhere far off, into into the distance. He looked troubled and Atem wondered how that was even possible if the setting was so perfect. 

"You all right?"

Atem's voice seemed to snap Kaiba out of his reverie. He looked over to his rival and shrugged: "Fine. Just thinking."

"About?" Atem pressed, a tiny bit curious. 

"The fact that I haven't told Mokuba about the fact that I have your Priest's memories. It's important enough of a topic that I should tell him, but also complicated enough that it would take me hours and hours to compose a letter. And I don't want you guys in the room for that conversation."

Atem nodded. It was a private thing, best discussed in between themselves and Kaiba was a very private person to begin with: "I've been wondering about that too. There are a few things I wanted to ask you about him," he said and watched Kaiba's whole body tense.

"I'd rather not talk about it. I try not to think about his memories at all. I don't want them. It feels weird to have them."

"How come?"

"He's not me. He's like me enough that I know other people would insist we are the same person, but in my mind we are two entirely separate people." 

"I think that's the most relatable thing you've ever said to me," Atem said, a bit amused. It was. He understood perfectly what that feeling was like seeing as he had lived feeling it for a long while. Well, his situation had been a bit different than Kaiba's, but he still understood: "We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. It's just that there are some questions I've wondered about."

"Such as?"

"Was he happy? Did he get to live a happy life after I was gone? He was a great man. He deserved it."

"No," Kaiba said bluntly: "He wasn't happy."

His reply hit Atem like a knife and he flinched, Yugi noticed. 

_What's wrong?_

_Nothing. I'll explain in a moment_

"You sure don't pretty things up any," he said, trying to sound joking to hide his hurt. He had wanted Seto to be happy. Seto had been his friend, his cousin. 

_"_ There is nothing to pretty up. He lived a deeply miserable life. The love of his life was dead and he never found another, so he was forced to attempt producing heirs with multiple women he felt nothing for. Not to mention the fact that all of his family was dead. Including his dumb cousin, who he got to know was his family for roughly 5 minutes, before the idiot self-sacrificed. Leaving him a throne he didn't really want that bad in the first place, He had worked his whole life to get out of poverty and much as he had managed he was not happy. The best thing about his life was the fact that it was short," Kaiba said. He sounded blunt and a little bit angry, but Atem could also tell he was disturbed by the foreign memories he had to think about in order to answer Atem's question. He felt bad for making Kaiba go through that. He also felt bad for hurting Seto by dying. Even if there had been no other way. Or rather, even if he had thought there would be no other way at the time. He should have looked harder. Tried harder. 

Yugi was practically screaming in Atem's head, demanding to know what was wrong. 

_What are you both talking about?! Why are you both curled up like that?I What's wrong? What happened?_

Atem looked and noticed that Kaiba was indeed also hugging his own knees, same as he was. He doubted he was doing it consciously, but they seemed to be mirroring each other. 

_Remember, I told you Kaiba has Priest Seto's memories? (By the way, he still hasn't told Mokuba and he wants to tell him himself, so don't tell him.)_

_Yes? (And okay)._

_Well, I asked him some stuff about Priest Seto's life. How it carried on. If he was happy._

_Oh. Not good?_

_Not good. And you know Kaiba doesn't sugarcoat_ things. Atem told Yugi what he had learned, his partner pulling him close once more and hugging him as he narrated. 

_Poor Kaiba, having all these painful memories._ He heard Yugi say inside his mind. _I wish I could hug him, but he'd probably hit me._

 _I don't know. You managed to get away with it once in the hospital._ Atem tried to joke. 

_Think we should try again?_

_Let's let him be for a while._

"Was that all you wanted to know?" Kaiba asked after a while.

"It was the most important thing. I'm sorry I made you tell. You said you didn't want to talk about it."

Kaiba scoffed, but Atem saw him relax a bit now that he realized that this conversation had come to a close and that made Atem feel a bit better. 

"Feels unfair that I got to have this happiness and he didn't."

There was another scoff: "Life is in it's nature unfair. If it gives you any happiness grab it and never let go of it." 

Atem watched Kaiba a while. Wondered if he was happy. Hopefully he was at least happier than his cousin had been. Atem wanted to know, but couldn't think of a way to ask. He wanted Kaiba to be happy too. They were friends. 

Eventually Atem turned back to the film. It was a bit harder to follow with him having pretty much missed a chuck of it, but Yugi got back to translating for him and even asked Mokuba to fill in some parts they had missed.

It was well past two in the morning by the time they finished and Atem could have gladly fallen asleep right there in Kaiba's bed, but Mokuba showed him and Yugi both to their own lavish private rooms. Atem felt a bit strange being separated from his partner, but decided he couldn't be such a baby about this. This was fine. He could spend one night away from his partner. Plus, they still had their mental link. They could still talk. All was well. So it was that after a quick shower Atem climbed into a ridiculously large bed (why were all the beds in Kaiba's house so big?), that stood on a thick dark ornate oak frame and was covered himself with heavy blankets. The room still felt a bit damp and cold even once Atem was underneath the blankets. Well, he supposed Kaiba didn't use his quests rooms much. Atem wondered if Kaiba had chosen this room for him, because it looked like it would be fitting for someone royal. It really wasn't much smaller than his royal bed chambers had been. He almost reached out to Kaiba to ask, before he remembered the two of them didn't share a mental link. He snorted. He must have really been tired. He closed his eyes and sighed. He felt lonely. He missed his partner's warmth. 

_Good night, partner!_ He whispered into their link.

_Good night! (God, Kaiba's beds are so huge!)_

_I know! I thought it was just me!_

_No, it's not just you. You could fit five of me in here._

_Yep. Same here._

_Well, enjoy the space. Sleep well._

_You too._

And with that Atem was alone once more. He didn't enjoy the space. There was too much of it, but he figured if he just closed his eyes and fell asleep he would be fine. So he tried to do just that.

Cold.

Darkness.

Loneliness. 

Silence. 

These were the sensations Atem woke up to and he was suddenly convinced he was back, trapped inside the Millennium Puzzle, having to wait decades and centuries for someone to set him free. No. He didn't want that. He couldn't take it. Anything, but that. Death. Torture. Endless games, one more terrifying then the next, each forcing him to bet his life. These were all far superior options to the eternal cold lonely darkness that left him powerless and with nothing to do but to wait. Atem screamed, buried his hands into his hair and screamed, begging for anyone to come and save him and then, suddenly, he was unsure how he had been able to scream at all, because he struggled to just _breathe_. He was gasping for air, hyperventilating, but still somehow feeling like he couldn't breathe. 

_Other Me?! Was that you screaming?_

A ray of light blissfully flooded the room and a familiar figure rushed in. 

_Answer me! Are you okay? Please, please tell me you're okay._

_Partner..._ Atem was endlessly glad for their mental link, speaking felt impossible, putting together a coherent thought was nearly so. He felt the bed dip, felt Yugi wrap his arms around him and hold him, but he couldn't relax much as he wanted to.

_What's wrong!?_

_Nothing_ _. Nothing. I'm fine. I'm all right._ Atem said, still gasping for air as he tried to sound completely calm and put together in his mind.

Another pair of footsteps rushed inside (Kaiba's), closely followed by another pair (Mokuba's). 

_You're not fine. You screamed as if you were being murdered. Talk to me. Tell me what's wrong._ Yugi insisted. 

"Atem!" Kaiba's voice echoed slightly in the large bedroom. He turned on the bedside lamp: "What's wrong?!" Atem flinched at the loudness of his rival's voice: "What's wrong? Are you in pain? Tell me where does it hurt? Tell me what's wrong! _Talk to me_!" The other man had gotten on Atem's bed without a second thought. He was looking over Atem's body, for any sign of what was troubling him. 

Everyone were talking at once. It was overwhelming. Yugi and Kaiba were both simultaneously assaulting him with the same questions and Mokuba was saying something too and even though Atem couldn't understand him it added to the overwhelming noise.

"Don't you dare die! I haven't dueled you yet!"

Atem wished Kaiba would stop screaming, but he could see the fear in his rival's bright blue eyes and could not be mad at him. Kaiba surprised Atem by taking his hand and Atem eagerly welcomed the gesture by squeezing it as if it were the very thing tethering him to this reality. Their eyes locked and everything was blissfully quiet, but not in a bad lonely way, for a moment. 

"Atem, I can't help you, if you don't tell me what's wrong," Kaiba said, annoyed, but he also sounded a little broken. He looked scared and young and desperate in a way he didn't often do. 

_You're scaring me. Tell me what's going on._ Atem heard Yugi thought. He tore his eyes away from Kaiba to face Yugi and he felt terrible for scaring them both. 

_I'm okay. Tell Kaiba I'm okay. I just thought for a moment that I'm back inside the puzzle. I freaked out. I'm all right. Really._

_Oh, Atem. I'm sorry. I should have never left you alone._

"Atem?" Kaiba asked, somewhere between a demand and uncertainty. 

_Oh nonsense. I'm a grown man. I can sleep alone._

Atem took a deep breath, trying to get his voice back: "I'm fine. I'm sorry I scared you."

"Never mind that. You didn't," Kaiba's lie was so obvious Atem wondered what the point was. "What's going on? What happened?"

"I - thought I was back inside the puzzle. It was - dark and quiet and cold."

Atem expected Kaiba to scoff, to brush him off, to tell him he was being absurd and ridiculous, but if anything, he looked embarrassed. "Ah," he looked away and let go of Atem's hand. Atem found himself wishing he wouldn't. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I took a while with this chapter, but I always feel that way. I had some really busy times at work and the whole thing of Kaiba doing several all-nighters was hitting a little to close to home. I didn't, but I think my colleagues did. It's all fine now.
> 
> I know this chapters feels like that much isn't happening, but I thought I'd give everyone a small break, before things go bad. If they do of course. I'm still not sure if I should go through with that entire part of the story. 
> 
> Also I'm really struggling on how to tag this. Would you consider this puzzleshipping already? Prideshipping?
> 
> Also I got to re-reading my other fic and I found a few stupid typos. I'm sure there are a few in here as well. Let me know. (And yes, I do proofread,)


	7. Shopping and challenges

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaiba's POV

Kaiba had barely fallen asleep when a piercing scream pulled him out of his dreams and he snapped awake. At first he thought it had been some nightmare of his mind's making, but he heard Yugi's footsteps run past his door. No, there had certainly been a scream. 

_Atem._

Kaiba threw the duvet aside and spent the run from his room to Atem's trying to figure out what could have possibly caused the man to scream bloody murder in the middle of the night. It seemed he had also woken Mokuba, because he too was running towards Atem's room, trying to catch up with his taller sibling.

"What happened?" Mokuba asked. As if Kaiba would know.

"Don't know!" Kaiba called back. 

Yugi was already there in Atem's room when they arrived, but he had apparently thought finding a light switch to be too much work, because the room was pitch black.

"Atem!" Kaiba called out. There was no reply. He looked for a switch of a bedside lamp he knew was there and soon managed to shed some literal light on their situation. Atem looked as pale as a ghost. ( _Bad analogy_ , his mind chided.) He was gasping for air and he was obviously in pain, but there seemed to be no obvious cause for his distress. "What's wrong? Are you in pain? Tell me where does it hurt? Tell me what's wrong! _Talk to me_!" he wished terribly Atem would say something. His silence was somehow more terrifying than anything he might have said. Kaiba climbed onto Atem's bed to better inspect the state of him, he seemed to be unable to breath properly, his pulse much too high and his face covered with a thin layer of sweat, but Kaiba could find no obvious cause his pain. Was he dying? No one knew what would happen to a body once you pulled it out of afterlife, out of a different dimension, but he had been fine up until now. Why now? Or had he never been fine? Maybe he had been slowly dying and no one had noticed.

 _I should have had a doctor look at him regularly._ Kaiba thought. Atem didn't seem to be visibly deteriorating, but what if it was organ failure of some sort? What if, despite vaccinations and near complete isolation at Yugi's place, he had come in contact with some bacteria that his new born body could not handle? What if this was it? What if this was their last moments together? What if the last game they played together had been stupid Cheat? He had been so stupid. He had wasted a whole week. A whole week's worth of duels by his rival's side, playing against the man he wanted to beat more than anything else in the world. The upgrades could have waited. The fixes, the press releases, it all became entirely meaningless when compared to to ecstasy of standing by Atem's side in a battle. His eternal rival. But they didn't get eternity. No one got eternity. _Why did I think I would get to have this for ages, when life hardly ever let me have anything I wanted for long?_ he thought bitterly. He could hear Mokuba saying something by his side, but his mind was too pre-occupied with other things to try and understand what he was saying. 

This couldn't be happening. His anger flared. He wasn't failing. He never failed. And bringing back Atem for only a week would have certainly been a failure. He was supposed to have a whole full life, not just another cruel teasing moment. No. He wouldn't have that: "Don't you dare die! I haven't dueled you yet!" He hoped it sounded like an order, because really, death was only for the weak, who had nothing to live for. Atem wouldn't insult him by dying without another duel. Kaiba wasn't sure when he had given Atem his hand, but he was aware of the other man squeezing it tightly, their eyes locked, purple irises filled with determination and emotion. No, a man that determined wouldn't die in a chilly mansion bedroom after a quiet night in watching films with his rival and friends. Atem would die by his side at a battlefield somewhere. Kaiba frowned. Was that thought his own? Or something brought on by the memories that Priest Seto had, that now freely flooded to the forefront of his mind, unhelpfully recalling the time that pathetic man had let the Pharaoh die. Pathetic, because Priest Seto, for all his devotion to the Pharaoh, had not been able to resurrect him. Kaiba had and he would pull his rival out of whatever dark hole of pain and suffering he seemed to be slipping in again. So they could fight again. After all, only the two of them were allowed to make each other suffer the humiliation of defeat. Not even death itself had the right to defeat Atem before Seto Kaiba had. Well, Yugi had managed, but Kaiba wasn't thinking about that right now. Right now, he needed to fix this. But first he needed to find out what was wrong. It would have really been helpful if Atem would talk to him: "Atem, I can't help you, if you don't tell me what's wrong." 

Atem's eyes had never left his and the strength of their gaze was incredibly intense. Kaiba never felt this sort of intensity with anyone else and he absolutely loved the feeling. He watched Atem look at him a moment longer, before turning to gaze at Yugi. The two were obviously having some long mental chat and Kaiba felt annoyed to be left out. He wanted to know what was going on, so he could do something. He doubted Yugi could do much even if told what was going on. Then again, maybe it depended on what the problem was. 

"Atem?" Kaiba tried. Perhaps he was truly unable to speak for whatever reason? Well, in that case Kaiba wished Yugi would hurry up and translate for him. 

He watched his rival take a deep breath and finally speak: "I'm fine. I'm sorry I scared you."

Instead of feeling relief Kaiba only felt more confused. Why was the idiot apologizing? Something was clearly very wrong and if he wouldn't let them know what there was no fixing it. 

"Never mind that. You didn't," he lied. In fact he still felt an underlining terror now: "What's going on? What happened?"

"I - thought I was back inside the puzzle. It was - dark and quiet and cold."

Realization dawned and brought relief, although short-lived and soon followed by embarrassment. Of course Atem had nightmares or panic attacks or possibly both. Kaiba himself had terrifying dreams of a large and imaginative variety regularly. It was common for him to wake up screaming, but just as common to lay quietly as he woke, shaken by shadows of the night that would not leave him alone. All of them probably had nightmares. They had been through so many horrifying events. "Ah."

Of course Atem would feel disoriented and confused waking up in a dark cold foreign room. It was foolish to try and separate him from Yugi when the two were practically joined at the hip. Even if Atem had today, been away for a bit. Kaiba let go of Atem's hand and looked away. He had grossly overreacted and thus revealing a lot he would have rather had stayed hidden from Atem. Like how much he cared. Hopefully the man had enough tact to never bring it up. Kaiba climbed off the bed and tried to look put together. Mokuba asked what had happened for what might have been about the hundredth time. Thankfully Yugi took it upon himself to explain and Kaiba could tune them out. 

"I'm going back to bed," he announced, wishing he had something to pull around himself. He only slept in a T-shirt and briefs and he felt quite exposed in all senses of the word. Atem's room was cold too. He needed to ask Mokuba to talk to servants about this. It was unacceptable that their guests had to sleep in a morgue.

"I think I'll go to Yugi's," Atem said, but he didn't look like he was about to move anywhere.

"Feel free. I expect it to be warmer there. I don't know which of my staff thought this was acceptable room temperature. I'll have them fired."

Atem was lying on the bed, smiling lazily: "It's fine, my Priest."

Kaiba made a face: "Not your priest. I told you, we're not the -,"

"I know, I'm sorry. I won't call you that again. It's just - you remind me of him when you're protective like that."

"I'm not protective of you," Kaiba scoffed and silently cursed Atem for pointing it out. Was he going to rub his face in the fact that he cared all the time now?

Atem smiled a knowing smile for a moment, before his expression turned to surprised: "This room is haunted?"

" _What_?"

"Yugi said Mokuba said..."

"Oh. No. Of course not. It's a stupid superstition he has, because we both always have nightmares when we sleep here, but I have nightmares every third night anyways so it's hardly fair to blame the room," he shrugged.

"Really?"

"Mmm. We're all so traumatized it be weird if we didn't have nightmares on semi-regular basis." 

"Perhaps. Still, I'm not sleeping here now," Atem said, but still made no move to actually leave. 

"Like I said. Feel free." Kaiba wondered if he was waiting for him to leave. There seemed to be an awkward silence so he turned to do just that. He was just about to leave when he heard Mokuba ask something, sounding shocked and Yugi replying. He turned to see what was going on, to see Yugi attempting to carry Atem's weight as the other man stood.

"What are you two idiots doing?"

Now it was Atem's turn to look embarrassed: "Nothing. I'm fine. Yugi's just a bit worried. The whole thing left me feeling a bit wrung out."

"Mmm," Kaiba hummed. He knew first hand how drained a panic attack would leave you feel, but he had already admitted to plenty of embarrassing things tonight, so he didn't say as much: "Well, Yugi can't carry you. You have so much muscle weight." It was visible after all that Atem was much more buff that Yugi. He sighed a long suffering sigh and went to sit on Atem's bed: "Okay. None of you will ever speak of this again. Get on my back. I'll carry you."

"Seriously?"

"Does it sound like I'm being funny? My sense of humour isn't that bad."

He felt Atem wrap himself around Kaiba hesitantly: "You sure?"

"Yes. Quit making this weirder than it already is. Hold on." 

Atem hummed. He wasn't actually loud, but he was right next to Seto's ear, so he made him flinch. "Sorry," Atem apologized.

"It's fine," Kaiba replied, stood and walked them to Yugi's room, followed by Yugi himself and Mokuba in an awkward silence. Just when Kaiba thought this couldn't get any more embarrassing Atem decided to open his mouth: "You've gotten quite buff as well." 

_What a fine time to bring that up._ Kaiba thought: "Yeah. Mokuba was telling me I wasn't coping with your death in healthy ways so I started hitting the gym 7 days a week to shut him up. That's generally considered healthy, I thought, but apparently that worried him too," Kaiba scoffed: "So I stopped. I'll probably go back to looking how I did soon enough. I don't really care either way." 

"I had no idea my death affected you so much. Yugi told me, but it was difficult to believe."

"You're my rival. Life becomes boring and meaningless without someone to give you drive, someone to push you towards new heights." They had reached Yugi's bedroom now and Yugi pulled the duvet back, so Kaiba could lay Atem down while they spoke: "Besides, I could not go on without having another try at beating you. Without knowing if I could. If Yugi could, surely so might have I."

"Yugi is a much better duelist than you give him credit for," Atem thought as the said duelist thanked Kaiba for his help and climbed to bed with the reincarnation of the former Pharaoh. 

"I'm not saying that he isn't. He's an excellent duelist. One of the best out there. I'm merely saying I'm just as good if not better."

"I could live with that statement," Atem decided, snuggling against Yugi: "Thank you."

"Don't mention it. Seriously. Don't. Ever. Good night," Kaiba said and got up again to leave. Mokuba followed him all the way to his bedroom, where a notepad and a pen was waiting for him. It seemed he had left those scattered about the mansion in most places they regularly hung out at.

"Are you okay?" he asked. He had said that enough that Kaiba no longer needed it written. 

"Mmm," Kaiba hummed a lazy affirmative as he climbed to his bed.

_Atem gave us quite a scare._

Kaiba shrugged and gave another half-hearted hum even as he knew that everyone who had been in the room must have been able to see how terrified he had felt. 

His younger brother made an effort to tuck his elder brother in and Kaiba simply rolled his eyes and wiggled out of the blankets to ruffle his hair a bit. Despite having grown a lot and looking a lot more adult recently Mokuba was still Mokuba and that gave Kaiba hope that his younger brother would always, in some core way, be himself. That he would never grow up to hate him, to see his blatant glaring flaws that everyone else seemed to focus on and that even the shortcoming he did see, he would always forgive. Mokuba smiled back at his brother and gave him a hug: “I love you, big brother," he said. It was one of the phrases Atem had taught him to say in Ancient Egyptian. Kaiba had already heard a few of those, but Mokuba was using them quite sparingly, so he did always wonder if there was more to come.

"Love you too," Kaiba muttered and hugged Mokuba back. 

* * *

It seemed to be quite late in the morning when Kaiba woke. After freshening up in the bathroom, he made his way to the kitchen where a breakfast was being served to Mokuba and their guests. 

Atem quietly told Mokuba something and a moment later Mokuba called out a merry "Good morning!" in Ancient Egyptian.

"Good morning, Kaiba-kun!" Yugi said, equally merry, but in Japanese. 

"Good morning, everyone," Kaiba muttered back in the most unenthusiastic Japanese he could manage: "You know there is no point in you teaching him to speak a dead language only two people speak," he told Atem. 

"One of those people is his brother," Atem countered: "And he wants to, so I see no harm. Especially after how kind you've been to me and Yugi. It's the least we could do." 

"In my case you're mistaking kind with somewhat civil. An easy mistake to make seeing as I don't usually bother with either," he said grabbing some toast. 

Once they were all done with breakfast, something Kaiba thought Atem was still getting way too excited over, they went to find something to wear for their shopping trip. Yugi was wearing the same thing he always wore with the crop top, leather pants, studded shoes and a ton of accessories, while Atem was forced to default to yet another T-shirt and sweatpants. Kaiba would have actually for, once in his life, liked to have dress down a bit on his day off, but as he watched Mokuba wear a vest, suit and tie, he decided casual would just make him feel weird and he pulled his purple coat over his black trousers and turtleneck. 

"I feel very underdressed," Atem announced as they all sat in the back of Kaiba's limousine. 

"Well, that's what we're here to fix," Kaiba pointed out. He wanted to go to the shopping street with all the expensive brand stores he usually got his clothes from, when he didn't have them tailor made entirely, but somehow Yugi managed to drag all of them to a mall right at the beginning of the shopping street, filled with mostly regular fast fashion stores, as well as cafes, restaurants, few places for alternative kinds of clothing and in general the other sort of stuff you usually had in a mall. Kaiba caught Atem staring at the displays of the jewelry stores: "Think Your Highness should work their way up to accessories."

Atem actually looked embarrassed: "I know. It's fine. I don't need any of that stuff. It just caught my eye."

"We can come back to it," Kaiba shrugged. 

They ended up in one of the endless fashion stores, where the average pair of pants and blouse together cost less than half of Kaiba's tie did. He was also appalled at the construction of most of the items. 

"You know, you don't actually have to dress like Yugi's twin brother," Kaiba pointed out as he watched Atem pile sleeveless black tops and black and blue tight pants and studded belts. 

"I like his style. Besides, if I went with what I'd like to wear I'd go with that," he gestured at a mannequin wearing a loose white summer dress that looked not entirely unlike what Atem had worn as a Pharaoh: "But it seems that's not very socially acceptable. Shame. Would be so much more comfortable than all these tight fitting things."

"You can still get one and just wear it at home," Kaiba supposed: "And not everything has to be tight fitted either. There are other cuts out there. Also - you're going to need clothes that have sleeves as well. Or I guess something to put over them."  
  
It turned out there was actually a much less prosaic reason for Atem not picking anything with sleeves. He wasn't trying to look like Yugi. It was just that he was so muscular nothing in the first store that had sleeves fit him him. Kaiba announced the store's clothing looked awful and boring anyway and they moved on to the next one, where the things looked a bit less like they were made by underpaid five year olds. Yugi and Atem also seemed much more excited about the whole selection, but Kaiba found he was already getting a bit fed up with whole ordeal and Mokuba looked like he was about to be bored out of his mind: "Come with me," he told his brother and took him to a stand across from the store they were at to get Belgian waffles. 

When they returned they found Yugi hanging out by the changing rooms. Atem emerged a moment later. It seemed he had actually found a shirt that fit him well. It was still tight, but in a way that looked intentional and really quite - amazing on him. He had also managed to find a pair of gold pants that fit perfectly and a golden jacket that matched the whole thing. 

"What do you think? Too much gold? Yugi thinks I look amazing in everything so he's no help at all."

"No, surprisingly not. It would look tacky on anyone else, but you make it work flawlessly," Kaiba said and he felt a bit like he was having an out of body experience, because the words left him before he even thought about it. 

Atem beamed: "Great. Because I found this other -," he paused, clearly looking for a word. Kaiba knew the feeling all too well: "thing too that's black and has gold - okay just look," he explained and put on another black jacket that had large intricate gold buttons. He showed it off to Kaiba for a moment, before noticing the waffle he was holding: "Oooh, what's that?" Without even a moments hesitation Atem leaned in to take a bite of the chocolate sprinkle covered treat that Kaiba was holding: “ _Oh_! It's delicious!"

Kaiba stared at his rival. Atem looked around and Kaiba realized a moment later everyone else were staring much the same as he was. Mokuba was hiding behind his brother with his own waffle, presumably just in case Atem was going to steal a bite of that too: "What?" Atem asked innocently. 

"Did you just - take a bite out of my waffle?" Kaiba asked.

"Yes. Do you mind?"

Kaiba shrugged. He suppose he didn't really. It had surprised him that Atem would so casually steal a bite of his food: "You should get both," Kaiba said, referring to the jackets and ignoring the other question entirely. 

The next store, much to Kaiba's dismay, actually had a jacket he himself liked. It was black velveteen on the outside and bright blue on the inside. Kaiba had a not-so secret thing for colourful linings and the quality actually looked really good. 

"You should get it," Atem said from behind him and Kaiba jumped a bit, startled. When had he gotten there?

"We're here to buy you clothes."

"I know, but that - it would look perfect on you. Try it on," Atem encouraged. Kaiba scoffed, but pulled the thing down, shrugged his own coat off unceremoniously and pulled the jacket on: “Well?"

"It looks cool, I think. Fits your style, maybe a bit more toned down, but..." Kaiba looked for a mirror. Once he found it, he had to admit he liked what he saw there. Atem was right. It did suit him. It was only once they were standing by the mirror that Kaiba noticed Atem was wearing a Dark Magician themed oversized T-shirt: "Where did you get that?"

"There's a whole section over there at the other side," Atem said, making a vague gesture towards the other end of the shop: "I think this one has two different shops together in one space."

Kaiba hummed in a disinterested manner, instead turning his attention to a certain younger brother, running towards him with what appeared to be more graphic T-shirts. The first one had the Blue Eyes White Dragon on it and Kaiba wondered, as he unfolded it, if he'd be teased for buying it. To make matters worse he'd pretty much be getting matching T-shirts with Atem.

"You should get it," Atem said, completely serious and sounding not at all like he was teasing: "Unless you already have one."

"Not with this specific image," Kaiba admitted. Atem didn't seem to find the notion ridiculous at all. Not even when he admitted he already had several. 

"Look!" Mokuba said, giggling and looking all in all very mischievous, so Kaiba felt a bit apprehensive as he unfolded the other black T-shirt that revealed to have his own face on it. 

"Oh. Wow. They make clothes with your face on them?" Atem sounded impressed and Kaiba wondered if this had truly never come up while they were dueling. 

"Sure. They make merchandise like this before every big tournament and event, plus I'm the president of one of the world's largest gaming companies. Not to mention that I used to be the number 1 Duel Monsters player in the world," he was aware that sentence had more words borrowed from Japanese than actual Ancient Egyptian, so he looked over to Atem to see if he was following, but he did seem to be. "Also, I was voted sexiest man in Japan two years in a row," he added with a smirk. He didn't really care about that title in the slightest. He didn't care what the tabloids wrote of him. One week he was the sexiest man in the country, the next he was a heartless corporate capitalist monster. Although, he supposed the two weren't actually mutually exclusive.

Atem burst out laughing, hard: “ _Sexiest man in Japan?! Really?_ " he was holding on to his stomach, practically falling over in laughter. 

"It's not like a tournament or anything. I didn't compete for the title with other men in an epic showdown of handsomeness. Some magazine just takes their pick." 

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Well, with how much you've worked out I'm sure you'll get that title again this year," Atem snickered. 

"Shut up. It's not like I'm actively trying to get it. I couldn't care less," Kaiba muttered. Why had he brought the stupid thing up anyway?: "You're the one to talk. You're so muscular none of the shirts fit you." 

Atem smirked: "Are you saying I'm handsome too?" he teased.

Kaiba looked Atem over, pretending to very seriously consider it. He only got as far as: “Well, you're not _me..."_ before Atem burst out laughing again. Yugi seemed to want his attention next, because Kaiba saw Atem turn to face him as he was coming towards them and he suspected some messages were exchanged via their telepathic link. Atem looked over to Kaiba a moment later. 

"What?"

"Yugi wanted to know what we were laughing about."

It was only then that Kaiba realized, he had, in fact, been smiling. He quickly corrected that mistake. 

* * *

A while later in yet another fast fashion store Kaiba found Atem in the jewelry section. They hadn't exactly been making quick progress and Atem had gotten a bit sidetracked buying Yugi a vest as well as bunch of studded belts, but he now seemed to have at least a basis for a decent wardrobe. They had 3 pairs of trousers, including the gold pair that Atem had kept on, sleeveless tops as well as some actual shirts, two jackets, shoes and socks, graphic T-shirts and underwear, all Duel Monsters themed. Kaiba supposed they didn't have to get a full wardrobe in a day. He was getting tired of all the shopping. It seemed Atem too, had things other than clothes on his mind as he tried on a pair of long gold earrings.

"Let's go to a proper jewelers. You can't get these 200 yen cheap trinkets. The gold will come off in a week."

"I like them. don't they look nice?" he asked. Kaiba noticed he had also decorated his wrists with golden hoops. 

"Mmm," Kaiba replied, effectively saying nothing. Jewelry did suit Atem. He looked more like himself the more he piled on, but Kaiba thought it was unfitting for his rival and the former Pharaoh to shop in the clearance section of H&M. So he dragged him to the nearest proper jeweler, where everything was at least real gold and precious stones. Everything here seemed to excite Atem a lot more than the recent clothing stores had and Kaiba wondered if it was something to do with the fact that everything actually fit him or if he simply liked jewelry better. 

"Can we go to the game store later? I think we passed one on our way here," Atem said, his eyes fixed on his reflection as he tried on yet another pair of dangly earrings. 

"We did. And we can. We'll see if they have anything I don't." Had he missed any good games coming out while obsessively trying to bring back his rival from the dead? He wasn't sure. 

"Mokuba introduced Yugi and me to your game room last night so we played there a bit. It was _amazing._ "

"I do have an almost complete collection of everything notable that has come out in the past years," Kaiba agreed, looking at the ring display. The clerk at the store had recognized him and was very eager to please him and show him everything. This had also been the case in several of the clothing stores. Kaiba found it more annoying than anything, if he was honest. Atem had finished with the earrings and joined him. He only had to point at things and they would eagerly be presented to him as long as Kaiba stood next to him: "How do you find time to play them all?" he asked, trying on a gold ring with a large red stone.

"I don't."

"That's a waste," Atem said thoughtfully, decorating every finger with a different gold ring, all similar enough in style that they went well together.

"Hmm," Kaiba agreed. He heard his name said behind him and looked over to see Yugi and Mokuba whisper to themselves: "Do they think we won't get they're talking about us just because they're speaking Japanese?"

"Yugi thinks I'm going overboard, I think," Atem admitted. He sighed: "He's right. I'm no longer a Pharaoh. I shouldn't decorate myself with so much gold."

Kaiba shrugged: "If you like it, I see no reason why you shouldn't. You haven't even gotten to necklaces and bracelets. Here, I have an idea," he demanded to see some of the very thin gold chains and when he wasn't instantly understood he ordered Atem to order Yugi to order the shop staff around. He picked out around fifteen thin gold chains of different lengths and put them all on Atem. The effect was stunning, It was as if his rival was decorated by thin gold rain that had strategically rained on him, decorating his chest. He could see Atem liked it too. 

They ended up picking out 4 pairs of different dangling gold earrings, around 30 rings, as Atem kept stacking them on his fingers, the effect only looked cooler with every new gold band he added so Kaiba insisted he buy all of them. He was writing checks and flashing his credit card faster than Yugi or Atem could argue. He would have his rival look impeccable. Like the king he was. It suited him. It was only right. Besides, why would he have to give up having nice jewelry only because he had chosen to live in this world with his friends and Kaiba? He could have both. Kaiba was about to pay for some extravagant looking bracelets when Atem said: "Yugi says you're in the millions. I can't have you buy all this stuff for me."

"Too bad, I've already paid for it."

"Fine. Thank you. But that really is the last of it."

 _That's what you said about 10 rings ago._ Kaiba thought, but didn't get to say as he heard Atem gasp: " _Kaiba_!"

"Found something you like?" Kaiba asked as he followed Atem to the glass case. The other man practically had his nose pressed against: "Look at that."

What Kaiba was looking at were a pair of silver dragon earrings. They were meant to curl around your ear, so it looked like a small dragon was sitting on your ear. He had to admit that was pretty cool. If there was one thing besides dueling Atem that made his heart beat faster, it was dragons. 

"You _have_ to get these!"

"You don't even care for dragons that much."

"Not for me! For you."

"I don't wear earrings," Kaiba scoffed. 

"Why not?" 

"Well, for one thing, I don't have my ears pierced."

"Oh. Well, that's an easy fix. I'll pierce them for you. All I need is a hot needle. It will hurt a bit, but nothing you can't handle," Atem said so casually as if he were talking about getting dinner. 

"You are _not_ piercing my ears."

"Oh don't be such a baby. I did Mana's and she was fine. You can handle it."

"I'm not talking about handling it. I'm not letting you do it. If I wanted to there are professionals you go to with this sort of thing. You go to a doctor. You don't just do it yourself unless you're stupid and trying to get an infection."

"A doctor? With this sort of thing? That's grossly overdoing it. I'm telling you. I'm good at it. You need to trust me more." 

"There are kits they sell for doing it yourself. But I'm not letting you do it," Kaiba said firmly. "We do generally go to a clinic, but there should be a few salons that do them as well." 

"You need to trust me, I - "

"I'm not letting you do it. If we are doing it at all, we're going to a salon somewhere." 

Fine. You should still get it done. These would look so perfect on you," Kaiba looked over to the little silver dragons in the glass casing. He did like them. A lot. 

"Mokuba!" he called his little brother over. The younger Kaiba took one look at the case before writing. _You want them, don't you?_

Kaiba shrugged, trying very hard to look indifferent. 

_You'd have to get your ears pierced._ he wrote. 

Kaiba nodded: "I know."

Mokuba had another look over at the glass case, before writing. _Go for it._

They reserved the earrings and went to find somewhere to get Kaiba's ears pierced. It took them a while to find a place, plenty of it for Kaiba to start doubting the entire idea, but everyone around him seemed strangely into it all of a sudden. One of the few decent salons was actually not very far from the mall and so, once they finally found it, Kaiba found himself sitting in a black leather chair waiting to get his ears pierced. He had never really wondered if getting your ears pierced hurt, but little girls did it, so he supposed it could not be too bad. It wasn't. Felt a bit strange if anything. Once he was done Atem handed him a blue velvet box. 

"What's that?" Kaiba asked, opening it to find the very same silver dragon earrings: "You know I could have gotten them myself."

"I know, but that's not the point. I wanted to get you something after all the kindness you've shown me and Yugi," Atem said and he sounded charming and sincere, smiling a bit as he spoke and Kaiba really didn't know how to go about arguing this without just sounding humble.

"The eyes are blue diamonds," Atem said: "You know, in my day. silver was actually more valuable than gold."

"But you prefer gold," Kaiba stated simply. 

"I think it suits me better. Silver suits you," Atem said. He sounded fond it was a bit disarming. Why did the man insist so hard on showing him kindness? "I'm surprised you had the money," Kaiba admitted, looking at the piece of jewelry. It was even more detailed up close and definitely worth the price tag. Kaiba thought he might have gotten them even if he hadn't gotten his ears pierced. Just to look at. 

"You wrote me and Yugi a rather large check," Atem reminded.

"Did Yugi pitch in then?"

"I might have asked him for a small loan."

"Hmph, so you've now spent all your money on a pair of silver earrings you won't even get to wear." 

"If you want to look at it that way, sure. Normal people would just say thank you for the gift." 

Kaiba said put the earnings away and stood, trying to recall when he had last received a gift from someone other than his brother. He didn't think Gozaburo and his money counted with that being a challenge more than anything. He also didn't really understand why Atem went out of his way to get him something he liked. To get even? Atem already had plenty of friends. People who actually expressed the fact that they wanted to be friends, so it couldn't be that. Surely he had given up on that friendship nonsense after Kaiba had told him time and time again that they weren't friends.

"Do you still want to go to the game store?"

From the way Atem's eyes lit up he knew even before he got a reply that the answer was yes. 

They only realized that they were all starving when they passed a small smoothie and sandwich bar, so they had take an unscheduled break at the bar before reaching the game shop. 

The smoothie bar had a ridiculous long bench like seat, so Kaiba found himself sitting between his brother and rival eating a triangular ham and cheese sandwich and sipping a pink smoothie. (It wasn't his fault all the best ingredients made the drink pink.) The bench was high enough that everyone else were swinging their legs happily as they sat, Kaiba being the only one tall enough so that his feet hit the ground as he sat.

Atem leaned into him and took a sip of his smoothie. 

"You have no concept of personal space, do you?" Stupid question probably considering Atem had spent a great portion of time sharing a body with Yugi.

"You're the one who gave me a lecture about how I don't get nice things if I don't go and take them."

"I believe I said you should ask, but yeah I am actually partial to going and taking the things you want too. I just didn't expect you to go and apply that logic to my smoothies, but I guess it's too late to complain now."

"Yes it is," Atem agreed cheekily: "Mine's better. Want to try?" he asked, holding out his smoothie.

Kaiba hesitated, but he supposed if Atem was being so casual about it and not making it weird, neither should he. So he leaned in: "Mmm. It's thicker. More coconut-y. Not sure if I actually like it better."

Yugi said something exaggerated to Mokuba the next moment, leaning over to reach him better. Mokuba replied in the same manner. They seemed to be arguing over something, but Kaiba could only make out some words and not whole meanings. The debate, whatever it was about, seemed to get more and more heated, by the moment and Yugi actually raised his voice. He didn't sound mad at Mokuba per say, just aggravated. Mokuba got louder and louder too and Atem and Kaiba just sat there, awkwardly silent while their loved ones were arguing from either side of them. 

"What's this about?" Kaiba asked Atem.

"No idea, Yugi's ignoring me asking," Atem replied. 

Whatever Yugi said next made Mokuba grow quiet. He pulled back and said something, quieter: "I want my brother to be happy," Kaiba could make out: "but...." the rest was a mystery. They were arguing about him? Something about his happiness? Why? That didn't make sense. Could he have understood it wrong? Kaiba turned his full attention to his little brother, who seemed to be making a very heartfelt speech about - something. Kaiba didn't understand any of it besides the fact that he was the main subject. 

Yugi replied something, something encouraging and uplifting sounding, but Mokuba looked neither uplifted nor encouraged although he thanked Yugi for his efforts and attempted to cheer up, but Kaiba could see something was weighing him down. He placed a hand on his little brother's shoulder: "What's wrong?" he asked quietly.

Mokuba smiled and wrapped his arms around Kaiba: "Nothing. Don't worry." An obvious lie.

"Something is bothering him," Kaiba told Atem as he stroked his brother's hair."Something about me." Was it the fact that he still couldn't speak proper Japanese despite having been here for a week? The fact that his language skills were not returning at all naturally? The fact that he could barely do his job and relied on Mokuba for everything? That he was just overall useless? There were so many options to choose from, each more worrisome than the next. 

"Yugi says he'll tell me when we get home," Atem said.

"That means it can't be good," Kaiba said darkly. He looked over to his rival, staring straight into his purple-red eyes: "Will you tell me if he won't? Even if it's something bad?"

Atem nodded, all serious and business-like, same as when they dueled "Yes. I promise," he said. It made Kaiba feel a little better.

He got up from the bench: "Game store?" he wasn't really feeling it, but perhaps it would lighten the mood after whatever serious conversation had flown almost entirely over his head.

"Sure," Atem replied with a small smile.

The game store turned out to be a great idea. Everyone, including Kaiba himself felt instantly uplifted when surrounded by a ton of games. It seemed Mokuba had cheered up too so Kaiba could relax and look at some games. He'd find out what was wrong first thing when they got home. The only problem Atem seemed to be having was the fact that he had spent all his money on getting Kaiba a gift and now could only window shop, surrounded by things he wanted, but couldn't afford. 

"Regretting your earlier decisions?" Kaiba asked.

"Never!" Gods, the man really was as stubborn as he was. Kaiba got out his wallet and selected one of his credit cards, then threw it at the former Pharaoh. who caught it elegantly. 

"Max it out." 

Atem stared at the card for a moment: "Is that a challenge?"

Kaiba smirked: "It is now. Only this store though. You're not allowed to go anywhere else."

Atem went along with it. Really, it seemed he would accept any challenge Kaiba presented. Well, Kaiba himself was much the same. "I see. Any other rules? Am I allowed to get others presents?" Atem asked.

"Sure."

From thereon it was really rather amusing watching a very flustered Yugi try and obviously talk Atem out of buying him every game he might want using Kaiba's credit card. They may have not spoken out loud, but their facial expressions gave away what they were talking about. 

"I can't decide between the version that comes with the figure of Black Luste -" Atem began.

"Get both," Kaiba said, his eyes never leaving the game he was looking at. 

"But the only difference is the figure."

"So? If you want both figures get both games. I have games I have five versions of simply because I like the merchandise that comes with," he said. It seemed that made Atem make up his mind, because he didn't bother Kaiba again. He only came up behind him a while later, making Kaiba, who was trying to decide whether it was worth getting this rather boring looking game for the graphics alone jump again as he said : “Oh, does that have multiplayer too?"

"Ugh, you're like a cat. Yes. Yes, it does." 

Atem snatched the box from Kaiba's hand: "I think I remember my partner reading an article about this. It looks really cool."

"I'm wondering if that's all it is. Looks is one thing, but you got to have substance too."

"You can fly on a dragon," Atem noted, looking at the art on the back of the box.

"I know," Kaiba said: "You can customize it too," he'd hate to admit it, but it had been the first thing he had noticed about the game. 

"The battles look pretty epic. Are you going to get it? We could play it together," Atem said and Kaiba could tell he was trying to sound like he didn't care too much, but there was a glint in his eyes that told Kaiba he would play it right there right now if he could and Kaiba was very glad to find it there, because he felt the exact same way. The very game he had been on the fence about was suddenly a thousand times more appealing. That and the prospect of beating his rival in any game, made his heart race, his knees go a bit weak and his stomach felt like he was on a roller coaster. Oh he was going to beat Atem so hard at this. 

"Sure. But I'll wipe the floor with you."

"Is that so? Well, I look forward to your attempts at doing so. When do you have time?"

 ** _Now_** _. Right now. Let's pay for this, go to my place lock ourselves into my gaming room and play until we're unconscious. Please, screw the work, screw everything else. Beating you is all I want to do._ Kaiba thought.

"I need to do some testing today and tomorrow and then possibly announce the thing. Next week?"

Kaiba seemed to catch a glimpse of disappointment in the former Pharaoh's eye, but it was gone the next moment so Kaiba couldn't be sure if he wasn't just projecting: "Sounds good. Let's do it."

As Atem left to pay for his own pile of games and figures, Kaiba caught Yugi and Mokuba arguing over something once again. Them. Well, him, definitely. Mokuba used the word Nii-sama far too many times for the topic to have been anything else. 

_What are they possibly on about?_ Kaiba thought. 

Atem came back: "You didn't give me your PIN number."

"Ah. It's 223393."

"Oh. That's long and random."

"It's not random at all," Kaiba said with a smirk. He was pretty sure Atem would figure out the logic behind his PIN if he challenged him: "There's a pretty solid logic. I've actually worried it might be a bit obvious, but no one seemed to have caught on." *

Atem smirked, hearing the challenge in his rival's voice without him even really explicitly saying it is a challenge: "I'm sure I can figure it out." 

It felt so good to have Atem back. To be able to have this. Someone who always challenged him. Someone he could always challenge. Even when it came to stupid little things like this. It made him feel so - _alive._ So complete. They hadn't done things like that before, challenged each other in games other than Duel Monsters, but Kaiba found now that he wanted to. That he wouldn't be satisfied until he played and beat Atem at every stupid game that mattered even a tiny bit. 

It turned out Atem had, after all, managed to max out Kaiba's credit card: "I gave you a lead," Kaiba muttered as he wrote a check for the cashier while Yugi wrote profuse apology notes on the notepad Mokuba had brought: "I paid for some of your jewels with this one."

Once they had gotten all the games and managed to fit all their shopping into Kaiba's limo, it was time to go home, each to their own. Kaiba felt a little regretful. He told himself it was only because he wanted to play with Atem right away (and beat him), but he knew part of it was that he had simply enjoyed their day out as well after all the pain and headaches and work of the past week. He had never had anything like this in his whole life. He didn't remember going out just for fun with people other than Mokuba. Never. Maybe there had been a time with his birth parents long long time ago, but the memory was so hazy and distant he couldn't be sure. He had certainly never hung out with people his age like this before. Just for fun and shopping. 

_And I never will again._ he told himself. _This is a one time thing. I shouldn't be enjoying this. Atem and Yugi will go back to their lives and me and Mokuba will go back to ours. It's not like I'll have dinner and lunch over at theirs every weekend now. I'm not part of Yugi's friend group anyway. All his friends openly dislike me and I don't like them either, so it would never work. Not that I'd want it to work. This was just buying my esteemed rival some clothes. And jewelry. And smoothies. And games (that we'll hopefully play together!)._

Despite his internal self-directed speech Kaiba didn't really feel any better and the fact that Atem smiled and said: "Thanks so much for everything! See you next week!" as he got out of the car didn't really help either. 

Kaiba pushed his own feelings aside and focused on Mokuba, who clearly had something on his mind. Once they were home Kaiba simply couldn't take it anymore. He got behind his laptop and composed a message as fast as he could. 

_What's wrong? What were you and Yugi talking about?_

Mokuba looked - hesitant as he wrote. _Nothing. It's nothing important._

"Liar," Kaiba said, having that word in his vocabulary to use. 

Mokuba bit his lip. 

_I think you might be upset with me if I do ask you._ he eventually wrote. 

Kaiba made an annoyed sound, which, in hindsight, possibly wasn't the best way to prove his brother wrong. _Ask me? Ask me what? It's something serious if he thinks I'll be_ upset. Kaiba wondered as he composed his next message. 

_You can always tell me everything. Even if I get a little mad at first, you know I'll always forgive you. Always. You can always tell me if something is bothering you._ That was a lot of the word "always" in one paragraph. Well, it got the point across he supposed as he handed his laptop for Mokuba to read. Mokuba didn't write his reply out on the keyboard, writing it by hand instead into his notebook. Kaiba closed the laptop lid and let his fingers drum against it nervously as he waited. 

_What could it be? Does he want me to step down from the company president's seat? It would make sense. He's been doing so much. I really shouldn't be president if I'm this useless. I can't even give public speeches without us using an AI. Sure, I figured out a solution to our problem, but it was my mistake in the first place and it took me a whole week to fix. If it even is fixed. Maybe the tests already showed something wrong. Maybe he got an e-mail saying so while we were out shopping. Would be all the more reason to have me step down. Mokuba would make a better public face than me anyway. Sure, he's a bit young, but so was I when I started. People will warm up to him. People always do. I'll step down if he wants me to. It's fine. It's the right call._ Kaiba himself thought he sounded perfectly calm, collected and reasonable inside his head, but in reality his whole body was trembling slightly. He had riled himself up bad, completely certain now that what Mokuba wanted to ask of him was to step down. He had no idea what he'd do if he were no longer the CEO of Kaiba Corporation. The firm wasn't actually his whole life, but it was a pretty important part of it. 

"Nii-sama?" his attention snapped back to a very worried looking Mokuba: "It's okay." Mokuba said, followed by something else as he handed Kaiba a folded piece of paper. God, why did it have to be folded? It just pro-longed the torture. Kaiba unfolded it carefully, his hands shaking pretty bad as he did. He stared at the words written on the paper, but he couldn't read them, his hands were shaking too much. This was ridiculous.

" _Nii-sama_!" Mokuba called out, distressed. He was writing down something else, quickly, perhaps trying to assure his brother that what he asked wasn't out of malice, but for the good of the company. Of course it was. Kaiba knew it was. It was fine. It was fine. It was fine. It was... fine. Just... fine. He certainly wasn't freaking out about this. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Can you figure out the logic behind Kaiba's PIN number? (That he just casually gave Atem). The answer will be revealed in the next chapter. (Unless I forget.)


	8. Speculations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mokuba's POV

"Hey, you don't think Kaiba-kun and Atem like each other, do you?" It had all started with Yugi's stupid whispered comment in the jewelry shop as his brother had been stacking jewelry on the former Pharaoh he had resurrected and they were currently shopping with. 

"Like... you don't mean as in...?" Mokuba had whispered back.

"Yes, I do," Yugi had replied and the suggestion had shook Mokuba's world for a moment. He had never considered his brother having romantic feelings for anyone any more than he had considered pouring ketchup on his breakfast cereal. His brother was practically untouchable. Seto didn't truly let anyone in besides Mokuba and there was a vast and rich side to his brother's personality that only he knew. Much as he considered Yugi and Atem to be their friends, much as he had seen his brother mourn and ache over Atem's death, obsess over dueling him after he had passed, he had only thought it had to do with Seto never having admitted the fact that Atem had been, a dear, yet complicated friend of his, as well as a rival for whom he harboured feelings much more complicated than hatred or something as petty as payback or revenge. He had hoped with all his heart that his brother would find closure he so desperately wanted in the duel that he had risked his life for. The actual outcome was even better. His brother hadn't been forced to eventually come in terms with the death of a friend and a rival. (much as that would have been a good lesson for him to learn, Mokuba really didn't want any more painful lessons in his brother's life), instead he had been given another chance at appreciating his friendship. And from what Mokuba could see Seto had actually possibly (maybe) learnt something and taken the chance given. They were spending time together outside of duels, playing games and watching films and doing things people did.

Mokuba couldn't have been happier. His brother was having normal human interactions with other people his age. He tried to hide how happy the whole thing made him, but he wasn't sure he managed, Sure, it was still a bit weird with Atem being a resurrected Pharaoh and neither of them speaking Japanese anymore and his brother being - his brother, but still Kaiba was spending time with people and he seemed to be enjoying himself. Mokuba wanted nothing in the entire world more than to see his big brother happy. If he could have exchanged their vast wealth for one thing, he would have without hesitation exchanged it for Kaiba's happiness. So it was that watching his brother sitting against his rival, content watching films, seeing him actually sincerely _smile_ as he and Atem talked about God knows what in a shopping mall, it was like all his prays had been answered. It was amazing.

But then Yugi had gone and went and put that thought of romance in his head: " _Nii-sama?_ " he had answered incredulously, because truly the thought had never even entered his head. The thought of Seto liking anyone in such a deep capacity, for him to fall in love, seemed impossible, when even for him to open up enough to admit to caring about people enough that he would admit to having friends (even to himself) took doing seven impossible things, including going to space and to another dimension. Getting his brother to have a normal shopping day with friends seemed like a miracle to Mokuba, so when Yugi suggested he might be having a crush on Atem (and Atem liking him back), Mokuba thought that required another word. What was a thing even more miraculous than a miracle? What could they call this divine utter impossibility?

And yet, despite its utter impossibility Mokuba could very well see where Yugi was coming from. Those very few people who knew Seto, could easily see that he cared for Atem in huge capacity. It was blatantly obvious when he had been so terrified when Atem had waken them all from their night's sleep by screaming and even in his utter dedication to see him one more time after he had passed. He may have excused himself by saying it was to beat him in a duel, but Mokuba knew there was more. Of course there had to be. Seto might have made an excuse after an excuse after an excuse, but really, he had no obligation to bring Atem back to life, to take him clothes shopping, to cover him in gold and jewelry and buy him smoothies. Could there have been something romantic there? He had found the two, sleeping in each other's arms, but Seto had been unconscious and not done so knowingly. But the way Seto showered Atem with gifts, the way Atem had gotten him that lovely pair of earrings and the way they just so casually shared food really did make them look like a couple. 

Later on, while they had been eating out, Yugi had cried out: "You really don't think they like each other? They're sipping each other's smoothies. Atem and I don't do that and we've shared a body!"

"It is precisely for that reason that he seems to have no concept of personal space!" Mokuba had argued. 

"Maybe, but how do you explain then Kaiba-kun also being so casual about it!?"

"You know my brother. He possibly sees it as a challenge or a dare of some sort. He doesn't just back down!" 

"Okay, I know he's not a very... lovey-dovey person, but this seems to become more and more straightforward!" Yugi had argued, his fierceness on the matter had actually surprised Mokuba. Yugi was usually not so bold in voicing his opinions.

"Nothing is ever straight forward with my brother! It's always all complicated!" Mokuba had argued back just as passionately, while his brother and Atem had sat there, clearly trying to figure out what the hell was doing on. 

"You really think I'm being completely unreasonable here, making this up?" 

"No! I see where you're coming from. But my brother is a complicated person. I want my brother to be happy. More than I want anything else in the world, but I can't jump to conclusions like that easily, because I know that it takes him ages to trust anyone even a little bit and - I'm also scared to come to these sort of conclusions, because that means stakes would be incredibly high. If he does like Atem, and if he does by some unspeakable miracle admit that to himself and then by an even greater miracle acts upon it, if he then were to get hurt even without anyone meaning to hurt him, he would become even more closed off. I'm not sure I can handle an even more closed off brother, Yugi. Seto is the absolute best person in the world, but he is a bit of work. So I can't come to these sorts of conclusions lightly. I have to be absolutely sure. So that I can then gently help him without making it seem like I'm helping him. I'd want love for my brother, Yugi. It would make me _so_ happy to see him happy. In fact it makes me really happy to see him happy like he is today. I haven't seen him like this. It means _so much_ to me, but I'm also aware how delicate these things are. I don't want him to get hurt either." Somewhere halfway through that speech Mokuba had started to feel the piercing gaze of his brother's blue eyes, attempting to make sense of what he was saying. Mokuba glanced over to try and guess how much he had figured out. From the looks of it, enough to understand that he was the topic of the conversation, but not much else. 

Yugi had pulled back then: "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to make light of this, Mokuba-kun. I know how important Kaiba-kun is to you. And perhaps I should really not jump the gun so easily as I was way off about Anzu and Atem it seems, but... try not to worry too much. Atem is a very good person and - we will always have our friends' best interest in mind. We don't want to hurt them. And you guys are our friends."

Mokuba had smiled: "I know, Yugi. Thank you. It means a lot." Mokuba meant that. Yugi and Atem were great people. Seto really couldn't have asked for better friends, considering the way he had treated Yugi and his friends over the years, it was a small miracle (the word was really getting a lot of use today) they could all just hang out like this with no real malice or hatred between them. Mokuba told himself it didn't matter if there was anything romantic going on or not. Except it did matter, because if there was and if both of them did actually liked each other, he wanted it to work out. To lead to an even greater happiness. They watched Atem and Kaiba closely for the rest of the day and Mokuba had to admit, the way they were acting really seemed to confirm Yugi's theory. His brother was never so nice to anyone other than Mokuba and he had also never taken anyone else on a lavish shopping spree letting them buy whatever they wanted just to make them happy. In fact Mokuba knew he only did that with him when he thought Mokuba needed cheering up or he thought he had screwed up. He hadn't screwed up anything with Atem as far as Mokuba could tell. So was he just trying to make him happy? It looked like it. 

As they had parted ways Yugi had smiled and winked and told Mokuba: "Don't worry. I know you can't pester him, but I have no problem pestering Atem. We can find out his feelings first."

His brother, sharp as always, had of course figured out that something was weighing on Mokuba's mind and despite Mokuba's assurances that he was fine, he knew Kaiba wasn't buying it and would likely demand to know what was going on the moment they got home. Mokuba was completely right about that. Which brought then here. Kaiba demanding to know the truth and Mokuba hesitant to tell it, but also knowing he couldn't keep Seto in the dark, because that would eat Seto up even worse. But how could he ask his brother if he liked Atem? Even if there were some feelings there Seto would just flip out, deny it, possibly call him stupid and then, if there were any feelings at all, try and push them away. Mokuba didn't want that, but he didn't also have a good excuse.

So here he was, writing and erasing his message over and over again, thorn, his mind providing him with images of their day. Seto had actually, for a few moments been happy. And Atem had been happy too. Happy to spend time with his brother and Mokuba had been happy too, to be with all of them. And Yugi too, he thought. He couldn't ruin that. He'd never forgive himself if this conversation led to Seto not smiling casually for years to come. Mokuba almost wanted to cry and scream and tell Seto to leave this alone, but that would only make his brother worry more.

_So, don't be mad, but today was really nice. I had fun. And you had fun, I think and Atem too and you seemed to get along well and you seemed really almost happy, so please (please) don't take this the wrong way, but Yugi and I sort of started to wonder if maybe you and Atem are starting to possibly like each other a bit. So we were wondering, if maybe you do like Atem? (And if Atem likes you.)_

Once finished he folded his note, looked up only to find his brother had seemingly already riled himself up with worry: "Nii-sama?"

Kaiba's eyes instantly locked with his and Mokuba tried to smile reassuringly: "It's okay. It's nothing bad." he hesitantly offered his cautious message to his older brother, who unfolded it. His hands were shaking terribly and it was worrying Mokuba. Seto simply stared at the note for ages with his eyes completely vacant and his whole body trembling. It filled Mokuba with dread. 

_I messed up._ He thought, swallowed and nervously waited for a reaction. Any reaction. None came. Which was the worst reaction of them all. 

" _Nii-sama_!" Mokuba cried. Close to panicking now. When his brother looked back at him his eyes still looked entirely lifeless, as if he wasn't here at all. 

_Did the realization shock him that bad?_

_"_ It's okay. Calm down. I'm fine with it. If you want to be with Atem, I think that's great and I think there's a very good chance he'll like you back." 

It seemed Kaiba wasn't listening at all. Mokuba grabbed his cell phone and dialed Yugi's number. 

"Mokuba-kun. Hi. What's going on?"

"Why did you have to put that stupid thought about my brother liking Atem in my head? Now I've gone and ruined everything!" he was close to crying now. 

"What happened?" Yugi asked, voice filled with worry. 

"He wanted to know what was going on and wouldn't let it be so I told him and now he's sitting here like an unresponsive statue and he's been like this for solid five minutes looking like his soul had been sucked out of his body," Mokuba did, very sadly knew what that both felt and looked like: "and I don't know what to -" Mokuba felt a warm hand touch his back, his older brother's warm fingertips gently caressing his back while the other hand took the phone: “Atem," he demanded. 

Now it was Mokuba's turn to freeze. What was going on? What was his brother going to do? Complain to Atem how stupid he and Yugi were being? Seemed likely. Or just straight out blurt out that he liked him? Unlikely, but not entirely impossible all things considered nothing was truly ever impossible with him. Kaiba told Atem something. It sounded - stern, but not mocking so Mokuba was even more lost. It was neither the tone for admitting your feelings nor for making fun of others. Then he gave the phone back to Mokuba.

"...Yes?" Mokuba asked, beyond confused. 

"Atem says Kaiba wants to tell you he understands and you're making the right decision."

"What? What decision?" Mokuba was about to give the phone back to his brother, but then realized putting it on speaker was more effective: "Hang on, I'm putting you on speaker," he set the phone on the table. 

Kaiba and Atem exchanged a few words, some of them including "Mokuba" and "Kaiba Corporation", which only made Mokuba more confused. 

"He..says he thinks you'll be an excellent president for the Kaiba Corporation and it's the right move for the company and he understands."

" _What_?!" Mokuba screamed: " _Where did he get that from?!_ " he grabbed the note to see if there was something on the other side of it. There wasn't. " _What is he talking about? Why are we talking about this? I - what?"_

Kaiba looked confused too then, took the note Mokuba had written, read it and burst out laughing, loud and manic. The way he usually laughed. 

Mokuba could hear Atem sounding vaguely worried on the other end, calling Kaiba's name and asking something. Kaiba replied and ended the call. Mokuba grabbed his phone and dialed right back: “Yes. Yugi? Ask him what was that all about?"

"Atem said, Kaiba said, he completely misunderstood." 

"What did he think I said?" 

He put the phone on speaker again and once Atem translated the question Kaiba actually replied in Japanese: "Nothing, nothing, forget it."

"No, tell me." 

"It's nothing."

" _Nii-sama,"_ Mokuba pressed. He could be just as stubborn as his brother. 

Kaiba sighed. Explained something rather long in Ancient Egyptian. The words "Kaiba Corporation" and "president" were often used seeing as there was no counterpart for them in the language his brother spoke. Then there was silence. Mokuba thought it sounded rather stunned, but he also supposed translating took time. 

Yugi sounded careful as he translated, as if he was making sure he got everything just right: "Kaiba thought that maybe you wanted him to step down from being the president of the Kaiba Corporation and instead hand the title to you. He feels that you've been managing things very well recently, better than he is able himself under the circumstances."

Mokuba had to take a moment to just stare at his brother in wild disbelief as he let that sink in: “ I would _never_ do that to you!" he screamed into his brother's face, not caring if Yugi and Atem heard or if his brother was uncomfortable with such displays of emotion. Atem translated a moment later even if Mokuba was pretty sure Kaiba understood his general sentiment perfectly well. His brother said something, a bit stern. 

"Mokuba, calm down," Yugi translated a moment later. 

"No, I will not. How could you think I would do that do you?! I would never push you aside _ever_. I want to run this company together with you. Always. I _hate_ running it alone. I'd do if something happened to you of course, but - well something happening to you is unacceptable. I don't want to be all alone!" Mokuba took a deep breath and gave Atem time able time to translate. 

Kaiba said something to Atem after he had finished and ended the call, so Mokuba picked up his laptop again to argue whatever stupidity his brother might come up with next. 

"Calm down," Kaiba said, in that weird thick accent that he had now. He always sounded like he didn't actually know what the words his mouth said meant and at first Mokuba had felt really freaked out by it. It had felt foreign and strange and wrong, but now he was starting to get used to it. He knew Kaiba was making an effort for him and it still rather amazed Mokuba that he could remember a short sentence just by hearing it once or twice. His brother truly was a genius, which was why this whole conversation was stupid. 

_You're brilliant. You're more than capable of doing this. You don't need to speak Japanese to run KC. If you do, you will learn it. What is all this insecurity? You've never done this before, don't start now. _Mokuba wasn't actually stupid enough to think his brother had no insecurities. He lived with him. He knew him. Actually knew him. Better than anyone. But he also felt he couldn't entertain this and had to slap some sense into his brother. 

Kaiba sighed and started to copy paste out a reply. Mokuba waited patiently. He always did. Even if this did take Seto infuriatingly long, he'd never complain about this. 

_It's not an insecurity. It's me thinking about the betterment of our company. It's taken me 5 minutes to write this._

_Oh, shut up. You're the one who thinks of everything, the inventions, the solutions to our problems. I'm not saying I can't invent things, but this is an insecurity and nothing else. I'll write the e-mails for you. I'll do whatever you need me to do, but we do this together or we don't do this at all._

His brother actually looked touched to read these lines. He didn't smile or anything, but there was warmth in his eyes and he lifted the laptop, pulled Mokuba into his lap and wrote. 

_So same as it's always been._

Mokuba smiled and nodded eagerly. 

_Same as it's always been. As it always will be. Wasn't that the agreement?_ he both typed and said out aloud. 

Kaiba nodded and hummed an affirmative. 

Mokuba looked over to the little note on the floor and decided he wasn't going to bring it back up. 

_I can't believe you'd think I'm so cruel to do that to you._

Kaiba shook his head and Mokuba watched him type out a reply. It was interesting seeing it unfold, seeing the words be picked from different sites as well as their previous conversations. _You could never be cruel to me. You're the only person kind enough to think someone might actually be in love with me._

Mokuba swallowed and wondered if his brother understood how much it hurt to read the implication that Kaiba, who was the greatest, kindest (yes, he did think that, screw everyone else), smartest, coolest person Mokuba knew, thought himself so unloveable that the thought of someone loving him would seem impossible to him. 

_Yugi thought so too!_

Kaiba snorted. 

_Yugi's just stupid then. If Atem is in love with anyone it's Yugi himself. He adores the man._

Mokuba really couldn't argue with that. In fact Yugi and Atem definitely loved each other. That part wasn't even up for a debate, just the part on which sort of love it was. Mokuba decided to leave the topic. Perhaps wait until Yugi got back to him with Atem's feelings on the matter. 

_Do you want to go see how the testing has been going?_ he wrote instead. Kaiba nodded and so they spent the better part of their evening down at the lab, overseeing the tests and doing some themselves until Mokuba announced he was starving. Partly, because he was actually starving and partly because he wanted his brother to stop before this turned into another all nighter. They watched television in Kaiba's bedroom while they ate and afterwards Kaiba tortured himself by studying more Japanese. Mokuba decided to at least read things out to him so that he wouldn't have to listen to the stupid tapes and they could spend time together. He also made his brother read out some of the dialogue out loud. He could tell he was embarrassed by it, but his accent was never going to be any less severe unless he actually practiced speaking. It was almost 3 in the morning when he insisted they finally go to bed, pulled blankets over his brother and turned off the lights, wishing him good night.

"Good night, Nii-sama."

"Good night, Mokuba."

Mokuba smiled and went and got himself to bed. It felt like he had only just fallen asleep, when his phone started ringing. Damn work. It was too early to work. He put it on vibrate, but the thing still wouldn't stop with the buzzing so he turned it off entirely. Not 10 minutes later one of his staff burst in. 

"Big trouble, Mokuba-sama! I think you must see this."

"I don't want to see anything other than my dreams, Fukuhara. Why are you in my bedroom?" he muttered without ever once opening his eyes. 

"We tried calling several times."

"Yes and me not answering might have given you a hint that I was sleeping," Mokuba groaned: "Fine, what is it?"

"Your brother is on the cover of every major tabloid today."

Mokuba finally opened his eyes: "So? That's hardly so unusual he's been in news all - oh," It was only then that Mokuba noticed the glossy cover photo of _Duelist Now_ of his brother taking a sip out of Atem's smoothie. He snatched the paper away: "How do they get the photo quality to be so good? I didn't even see anyone take that and I was pretty much facing the camera."

 _Duel Star_ had another photo of Kaiba and Atem walking together in the shopping mall side by side. It was less suggestive than the smoothie shot, but it looked like Atem and Kaiba were having a good time. 

_Domino's richest man, entrepreneur Kaiba Seto seen shopping with a mysterious stranger at Domino Mall while KaibaCorp stock plummets._ the title read.

"We go out once a week and this is the reaction we get. He has literally been working on the solutions all week," Mokuba muttered.

"That's not even the worst of it, Mokuba-sama," a very flustered Fukuhara explained as he laid out another newspaper, _Domino Today._ Their cover did not feature Kaiba and Atem together, instead a photo-edited collage of gold jewelry and Seto himself. 

_Kaiba Seto spends millions to on a foreigner. No promised solutions to Duel Link problems in sight._

"Whatever shall we do?"

Mokuba shrugged, flipping through the magazines and newspapers that he had been given. Even the ones that didn't have Kaiba and Atem on the cover, usually had colourful spreads with pictures of them on the inside. One magazine cover read. 

_Domino's hottest bachelor taken?! Seto Kaiba seen with a mysterious foreigner. More on pages 2-4 (includes a full-size poster and stickers!)._

Mokuba snorted: "Tabloids will be tabloids. We'll make the update announcements in the next few days anyway, so they have nothing to complain about. I think the wisest move is just to ignore this. At least the speculations about him and Atem."

"Mokuba-sama, I do think it would have been smart to inform us that Seto-sama was in a relationship. We could have prepared for this," Fukuhara said hesitantly.

Mokuba smirked: "Want to try telling him that?"

* * *

Mokuba was already at the breakfast table, newspapers and magazines all laid out for Seto when his brother got into the kitchen. Most of the staff had cleared out of the kitchen, terrified of the CEO's reaction, but Mokuba sat there with his tea like a boy eager for a good show. He had hardly ever felt any sort of fear towards his brother and when his wrath wasn't directed directly at him he usually found it either amusing or even a bit amazing. 

Seto still looked exhausted even as he woke a few hours after Mokuba, he muttered something sleepily in Ancient Egyptian. Mokuba didn't bother pointing out he didn't understand. Kaiba knew as much. Strange as it was, they both seemed to find comfort talking to each other even when the other didn't understand. 

"Good morning," Mokuba said brightly, one of the few things he knew how to say in Ancient Egyptian. 

Kaiba muttered something sleepy, followed by a matching: "Good morning." Apparently he thought it was too early for Japanese. It was then that he noticed the papers. He stared at the covers a good long moment before sighing and saying, this time in Japanese: "What's this?" 

_It seems Yugi and I aren't the only ones, who thought Atem and you might have some feelings for each other._ Mokuba typed out on his laptop and slid it over. He had considered e-mailing his brother, but he liked the idea of their conversation only being in a few text documents no one could trace or leak unless they got into his computer somehow. Mokuba had spent the better part of the morning reading up on speculations regarding his brother and Atem and on Atem in general. He hoped no journalists knew to look deep enough to discover that all of Atem's documentation was fake. They'd be in real big trouble then. It made the whole thing seem a lot less funny. There were a lot of speculations about Yugi too, some guessing Atem and Yugi might be related and others speculating the nature of their relationship. Yugi was almost as famous as Kaiba after all. The Japanese coverage seemed a lot more hesitant to call Kaiba or Yugi out on the fact that they may like Atem, focusing more on describing (in rather worrisome detail) their outing as well as the fact that Kaiba had not yet announced the promised fixes to the problems with the Duel Links system. Some papers also heavily focused on the money Kaiba had spent on Atem. Meanwhile the American counterpart duelist magazines like _Duelist Stars_ boldly speculated on the CEO's sexuality, diving as deep into his brother's nonexistent love life as possible and pointing out that he had never been seen in public with a woman outside of strict business relations. 

_Could Seto Kaiba be one of the first openly gay CEsO in Japan and what does this mean for the future of Duel Monsters and Solid Vision Systems?_

One paper asked while Mokuba desperately tried to figure out what his brother's sexuality would have to do with Duel Monsters at all.

Kaiba slid him a laptop with a message. 

_You have nothing to do with this, right?_

Mokuba mimicked his brother's famous scoff. 

_If I did they'd have the photo of you curling up against Atem in your bed, but no. I'd never do that._ he replied. After a moment's thought he added _Neither would Atem or Yugi I'm sure. The sources seem to be entirely paparazzi shots although how I missed them all I can't tell._

Kaiba stared at the message for a bit, before shooting back. _Photo of you curling up against Atem in your bed = joke?_

Mokuba smirked. _Maybe._

_I'll change all the access passwords in our systems to incredibly long Ancient Egyptian sentences and I won't tell you what they are if you don't tell me._

_Okay. Good luck doing all the work then. I do need a day off. (I'd never give that photo to anyone. If I had it. Unless you really pissed me off.)_

_Not funny, Mokuba._

Mokuba smirked. He was feeling mischievous. _Hilarious_. 

Kaiba ignored Mokuba, got his own laptop and started typing something else out. It didn't seem to be for Mokuba however and so he went back to getting some actual work done. Some time later Kaiba scoffed. Mokuba, curious, wrote _What's up?_ on his laptop and slid it over. Kaiba ignored it.

"Nii-sama?"

Still ignored. Mokuba took his laptop back and sent Kaiba an e-mail. 

_From: Kaiba Mokuba_

_To: Kaiba Seto_   
  
_Subject: ??_

_Are you mad at me and ignoring me?_

_FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY._

_Penalty for reproducing parts or the entirety of this correspondence for uses outside of the corporation and/or distributing it to parties outside of Kaiba Corporation is the immediate termination of the said employees employment contract._

He hit send, but nothing followed. Mokuba sighed and wrote another e-mail. 

_From: Kaiba Mokuba_

_To: Kaiba Seto_   
  
_Subject: ??_

_I'll take that as yes. How are we supposed to be announcing the upgrades if we're not speaking to one another?_

_FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY._

[ Expand ]

Instead of hearing from his brother, who sat straight across from him the whole time, sipping coffee, he got a text from Yugi sometime later. 

_Mokuba-kun._

_Atem and I are very sorry for all the extra trouble we've caused you and thank you for worrying about us._

Mokuba raised an eyebrow.

 _Worrying about us?_ he shoot back

_Kaiba-kun sent us an e-mail._

_Oh. What did he say?_

_I'd just forward you the email, but there was a rather scary message at the bottom, telling me not to._

_Just forward it. As VP I have a contractual right to see all e-mail exchanges made my our employees using company e-mails. I think this would qualify._

A few moments later Mokuba received the following e-mail. He smiled as he read. His brother sounded weirdly formal over an email. Then again, everyone sounded weird over email. 

_From: Mutou Yugi_

_To: Kaiba Mokuba_   
  
_Subject: FW: Regarding this morning's news_

_I trust you're already aware of this morning's main news, but if you have somehow managed to miss it, here are a few links._

_http://www.duelistnow.jp/local/article/98977658  
http://dueliststars.com/gaming/gossip/article/kaiba-seto-seen-shopping-with-a-mysterious-stranger_

_I's think no one is actually stupid enough to think that I have feelings for Atem, but seeing as you seemed to come to such a conclusion, I feel I should tell you that if anyone believes this they might act on it. Keep an eye on Atem. If anyone thinks I might care for someone other than Mokuba they might try to switch things up from kidnapping him. If you feel there is any real danger, contact me and I'll send some of my security over until this dies down. I didn't spend billions on bringing him back just to have him kidnapped._

_Additionally, this goes for both of you - do not speak to the press about this. At all. They can twist any answer in a way that suits them. As long as they have no statements from reliable sources it's empty meaningless speculation. If you have any power over your idiot friends, tell them to do the same. It will only make things worse for you if people think I'm involved with Atem. If you do decide to say something and find yourself in way over your head, don't come crying to me. _

_But seeing as I'm sure none of us have any intention of repeating what happened, I'm sure it will die down._

_Kaiba Seto  
CEO of Kaiba Corporation_

_The following correspondence is meant for the recipient only. It may contain information that's sensitive or confidential. It is not to be re-produced in any shape of form._

There was an underlining sadness that Mokuba thought he could feel from the letter, but that might have just been his own feelings. He was beyond sad to read his brother thinking there was never going to be a repeat of their little shopping trip. He had ruined things. Pushed too far and ruined them. He groaned, buried his face in his arms and laid like that on the table. Seto still ignored him, so he texted Yugi. 

_For the record. I'd like to do this again. I'll be damned if I let newspapers bully my brother out of having an actual social life._

_We'd love to do it again! Atem's very much unbothered by everything besides Kaiba-kun's last statement. In fact he is currently looking for a place to put that poster and those stickers._

Mokuba remembered the poster and stickers too and looked out the magazine that had them. Inside was a huge folded promotional photo of his brother looking as serious as ever. It was a good photo. Kaiba's hair was ever so slightly outgrown, making it just a bit shaggy, making him look more like an idol. 

The stickers included Kaiba, KC logos as well as a sticker of Atem and a sticker of the now famous smoothie scene. Mokuba had to admit he was impressed by how quickly they had managed to produce these stickers and how good they looked. He looked up to see his brother watching him. He took a sticker of his brother and Atem and in an amazing feat, managed to stick it on the lid of his laptop without breaking eye contact. Kaiba said nothing so eventually Mokuba went back to his own work. 

They sat in utter and complete silence for a while, both working until Mokuba received an email.

_From: Kaiba Seto_

_To: Kaiba Mokuba_   
  
_Subject: Re: ??_

_I'll speak to you in a professional capacity._

_FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY._

Mokuba snorted and shot back

_What do you need?_

The update release went well all things considered. Mokuba had thought they might require Yugi's and Atem's assistance on translating, but his brother insisted on managing himself. He barked out orders that were even more clipped and to the point than usual and no one but Mokuba himself dared to comment if he made some kind of an error or even worse, when they didn't understand him. The latter was really the worst issue they had. A few times Mokuba found himself staring at a helpless Kaiba Corporation employee, who stated at the young VP begging for him to translate what was being said, except Mokuba couldn't always be sure. Fortunately for his employees he was the only one bold enough to grab a piece of paper and write. 

_I have no idea what you just said and neither has she._

Much as he was aware that his brother was aware that his Japanese vocabulary was painfully limited and pointing it out would be a blow at his actually somewhat fragile ego, these things could not remain left unsaid in the context of workplace. He watched his brother type up a message and e-mail it to the woman standing next to him. Sure, It was awkward, but it got the job done.

They settled for press releases and other forms of official announcements instead of filming another video using their AI. The response was immediate and every major Duelist outlet covered the event as front page news. The next issues of the best established Duelist magazines all focused on the updates on the cover, whereas speculations about Kaiba and Atem were left at the end of the article as a mere afterthought. Of course there were also these, purely gossipy tabloids that still obsessed over Atem, his nationality and background. Mokuba ended up thinking that perhaps the massive coverage on the shopping trip had worked in their favour. Kaiba had already been the hottest front page news when the update was released and any development even vaguely related to him was bound to get more attention than usual. Not that they usually went unnoticed either. 

In the evening after the release Mokuba found himself doing schoolwork in his brother's bedroom, both his laptop and physical notebooks scattered about. Kaiba had stayed true to his word and only spoken to him when it regarded work. Mokuba was not overly worried about that. Even when the two of them were fighting or not talking to one another they still silently looked after one another, stayed together and kept each other company. Their fights never left any real bad blood between them. Because Seto was ignoring him sliding over his laptop Mokuba occasionally threw paper notes at him as he kept taunting, teasing and just making one sided conversation. 

_Yugi said Atem is hanging out your poster._

_They also both want to go and hang out outside sometime._

On the other side of the same note he wrote. _So do I._

_You're not going to let the press bully you out of living your life, are you?_

He received no replies, but that didn't bother him. He knew Seto had read all the notes even if he pretended not to. To some it may have seemed contradictory that Mokuba, who had just tried his hardest to be delicate about the matter was simultaneously taunting and teasing, but Mokuba knew perfectly well, which of his brother's buttons he could press, which were dangerous to press and which he should never touch at all. Besides, the secret was out either way. There was no hiding it. He might as well do some friendly teasing. Try and lighten the mood. 

_I'm thinking I might go back to school next week. I've been missing a lot of it this past month or so. Have they called you about it or anything?_

Mokuba didn't strictly speaking have to go to school regularly, his brother allowed him to have as much free time as he wanted and always vouched for him when the school called. In addition to that Mokuba was a smart kid, he was perfectly capable of studying most things by himself at home and he had already gotten a very broad and good quality education from Gozaburo, even if he hadn't been worked nowhere nearly as hard as his big brother. 

Seeing as even a direct question didn't get a reply out of his brother, he tried a much more provocative, dangerous route. 

_I think you're just using being mad at me as an excuse not to talk, because you're frustrated with yourself and your language skills._

He slid the note to his brother and went back to the math question in his notebook. He generally found math easy, along with art it was actually one of his favourite classes to do. Some of it had to do with the fact that he used a lot of math when doing his daily duties as the Vice President of Kaiba Corporation. However he found himself struggling currently, writing out the same equation for the third time to see, where he had made a mistake and never quite finding it. He was pulled out of his frankly already headache inducing thinking by his brother actually saying something. He looked up in surprise to find Seto holding out his hand for Mokuba's notes. His younger brother handed it over and got it back with a few added arrows and circles. Mokuba studied them a bit: “Ah. I see. Thanks." 

He actually found his brother to be a more helpful, straightforward teacher than some of his actual teachers. The way he explained things made more sense to Mokuba, perhaps because they were related or perhaps because Kaiba was smarter than most of his teachers. Either way it only added to the list of reasons Mokuba never felt too bad missing school. He spent a while more catching up on his studies, occasionally glancing at his brother, who was focused on studying Japanese. If Mokuba tried really hard and imagined that his brother wasn't actually re-learning his native language due to the effects of dimension travel, it almost felt as if they were two perfectly normal brothers just studying.

When Mokuba had had enough of his own work, he turned his attention back to Seto and decided to torture him a bit by forcing him to actually read out aloud what he was just silently mouthing to the tape. 

_Read some of those dialogues out to me. I don't think it constitutes as actually talking to me._ he offered. He was only half surprised when Kaiba took the bait. His brother had no problems with remembering words and considering he had started re-learning the language from nothing a week ago he had a truly magnificent array of words at his disposal. He would remember words or even entire phrases just by hearing them once or twice. His pronunciation however was a different story entirely. It wasn't entirely impossible to understand and because everyone Kaiba had working for him were quick-witted and smart most of the time his words could be deciphered without a problem. He did however sound unmistakably foreign to the Japanese ear and when Mokuba had listened to his brother and Atem sprinkle Japanese terms between every Ancient Egyptian sentence it had almost sounded like some strange entirely new language. Mokuba supposed in a way they were forced to come up with a new language of their own. 

Mokuba had tried to avoid correcting everything overly much so he wouldn't be too discouraging, but he knew they had to start working on Kaiba's accent before he re-learned all of his vocabulary only to still sound completely foreign. He listened to his brother read and tried to think of a way to correct him. He didn't want to cut him off while he was reading, but if he only corrected him after each sentence there seemed to be enough corrections that he would basically have to re-read the entire sentence. He went on correcting him sentence by sentence for a while until he realized he'd have to go further back into the basics. 

_Okay, just read the entire alphabet out to me._

Kaiba stared at his brother with what must have been some vain hope that he was joking. Then he simply closed the textbook, got up and left the room entirely, leaving Mokuba to flop down to the bed dramatically throwing his arm over his eyes and groaning. 

* * *

Seto carried on not saying a single word to Mokuba or his employees for the next week. Somehow he managed to do everything by e-mail and fax and even as Mokuba announced he was going to school and very much still concerned, left his brother alone, he returned to find all the essential business taken care of, updates being made to the updated system and their stock climbing again. Nii-sama truly was an exceptional man. They carried on their traditions of studying together, but Seto seemed to have had set aside talking entirely and was now focusing on writing with a fierce passion. He practiced kanji, learning new ones at a frightening speed, filling page after page after page with perfectly written characters and if one was even slightly off he would scratch the whole sheet and start again. It frightened Mokuba to see his brother almost as relentlessly hard on himself as their stepfather had been. It was not right. 

_You don't have to be so hard on yourself. Your handwriting is already better than mine._

_It needs to be exactly as it was. This is not the way a CEO writes._ Kaiba wrote back. he would still use hiragana in many places he would have formerly used kanji, but less than a week later he was able to write things to Mokuba. Sometimes there were mistakes in his writing, but Mokuba was more hesitant to point them out now, lest his brother start treating himself even harsher. The truly scary thing was, Mokuba wasn't sure if it even registered to him he was being hard on himself. Their stepfather had made his childhood learning environment so hellishly and inhumanly hard that everything else would seem like slacking off in comparison. 

Seto did eventually call him out on not attempting to fix his mistakes. 

_Last time I tried to help you study, you stopped talking entirely._

As if to prove Mokuba's point Kaiba replied nothing, just going back to his studies. Mokuba knew he had to do something to get his brother to talk again and he thought he had been rather clever when he insisted his brother come and meet Pegasus with him for the latest new card releases meeting. This was partially because he was still wary of Pegasus and wanted his brother there and because he knew Kaiba was too proud to pass notes to anyone other than Mokuba and staff close to him. He would never admit to the outside world something was wrong. (His employees would also never tell if they wanted to keep their jobs. There was always the chance of someone double-crossing them, but they had done their best to minimize the risks of that too.)

Mokuba was both horrified and impressed when his brother managed to get through an entire meeting with Pegasus by only replying in hums, grunts and eyerolls without seemingly making anyone even the tiniest bit suspicious. Mokuba thought he may have made a mistake by not taking into account how much Pegasus enjoyed the sound of his own voice. 

"Oh, Kaiba-boy! You're so quiet! It's like you don't even like my new card designs! Aren't they just _wonderful?_ " 

Kaiba just shrugged, looking entirely unimpressed. 

"So cold! Oh, don't play these games with me Kaiba-boy! Surely you must at least find the fairy-types fascinating!"

His brother snorted in a way that made how ridiculous he found the statement so obvious that Mokuba almost burst out laughing.

"The new dragons then?"

Kaiba actually looked them over, before visibly pocketing one and throwing the rest back at Pegasus, causing the man to go into a rant about the said dragon's special abilities and how they would "alter the game forever."

_Okay. Point taken. I will never try and outsmart you again._

_I have no idea what you're talking about._ Kaiba wrote back and Mokuba rolled his eyes, knowing he was lying. 

_He was quite hard to follow. He uses so many English words in his speech. Some of it I really did not get._ his older brother admitted. 

Mokuba realized then he could probably soon give up writing things down entirely. Maybe Seto would then feel more inclined to speak with him if he only spoke himself without the writing: “It was very impressive nonetheless. Are you planning on studying English as well sometime?"

Kaiba nodded and hummed affirmatively. It made Mokuba want to scream into a pillow. However he knew he had to do something more productive so instead he tried to pull his brother away from his never-ending studies to play games with him. Seto did play with him, but Mokuba could not manage to get him hooked on anything for more than a couple of hours. He would be completely into a game seemingly, but then a call would come in or more often message and Kaiba would lunge at his phone and afterwards he would simply finish whatever match or round or level they were on (never leaving something completely unfinished) and dive back to his studies. The fact that his brother could so completely focus on one thing and put aside other things, even things he loved, was a double-edged sword. As Mokuba only felt more lost by the end of the week, he ended up texting Yugi. 

_Nii-sama has not spoken a word to anyone all week. How's Atem?_

_Mokuba! I thought you'd never write. Is Kaiba-kun busy? Atem has been waiting for him to call him all week to play Crystal Lands with him. Or to duel. Or, I think, to drink coffee competitively at this point._

_Why didn't he just call then?_

_Cause he's stubborn? I've been telling him to go ahead and at least try calling Kaiba, but he insists Kaiba would call him himself._

It was then Mokuba realized something. Maybe the reason his brother had been so quick to abandon everything else and look at his phone the moment it so much as made a sound was not because he was hyperfocused on work and studying, could it be he was waiting for Atem to call him? Or, and this was worse, did they see this waiting game of who would call first as another game to be win or lost?

_I think we may have an issue, which is that Nii-sama is also waiting for Atem to be the one to call._

_Oh. Well I'll try and talk to Atem. Out of the two I feel like he's the less stubborn one._

_I don't know. I think they are pretty evenly matched._ Mokuba typed while he got an incoming text from his brother. 

_Who are you texting?_

_Yugi._

Kaiba made a face. _Why? Is there something going on?_

_No. I mean, you won't talk to me._

_You're texting with Yugi. We are also texting. I fail to see the difference._

_I just wish you talked to me._ This was ridiculous. Even by their own standards. They were sitting right next to each other on the bed after all. 

_So you're complaining to Yugi how I'm being impossible._

_Not really._

_Yugi just texted me saying he wants to come and use my game room. Do you have anything against that?_

_I see no reason why I should._ Mokuba replied. 

_He's also bringing Atem._

Mokuba smiled and texted Yugi. _Well played._

Yugi replied pretty much right away. _King of Games._

Mokuba snorted. _Love Games. You Set Atem up with Seto and end your turn._

_I laughed so hard at that and now Atem wants to know what's up._

Mokuba smiled. _How well can he read now?_

_He's improved a lot. But it's hard. I think Ishizu's visit also got him down._

_Did she lecture him on how this isn't the natural order of things?_

_Yeah. there was some of that._

_Good thing I didn't let her visit Nii-sama when she wanted to. She called Tuesday. She also sounded like she wanted to make Seto a lab specimen, a focus of some study._

_It wasn't that bad. So, do you think they like each other?_

_The fact that you're changing topics tells me it was. It's almost impossible to tell with Nii-sama, I need more time to be sure._

Mokuba got another text from Seto. _Is Wednesday okay with you?_

_Yes. Am I expected to play too?_

_I just thought they want to play by themselves, but they might want you to join._

Mokuba looked over to see his brother's face, but could read nothing from his expression. Was he being purposefully ignorant or did he really think Yugi and Atem would just come over to play with his games and ignore him? And if he did think that why would he allow it? Still, Mokuba decided not to poke the matter. Yugi's idea was good and he was going to let it play out. 

Wednesday eventually rolled around with not a single spoken word from his brother. Mokuba had even tried prompting him with Ancient Egyptian, but had still come back empty. If he had heard Kaiba practice Japanese by himself, he certainly would not tell anyone. Mokuba got a text from Yugi early in the morning. 

_Mokuba, I'm so sorry, but it seems I have a terrible headache and can't join you today. Hopefully you and your brother can keep Atem company._

Mokuba snorted. _Oh no! How Tragic! Could Atem tell you were lying?_

Regardless of whether Atem could tell or not (Mokuba was 99% sure he could) Atem showed up at their mansion at the agreed upon time, dressed in a very sharp and fashionable attire of gold and black and wearing, if not all, then at least most of the jewelry his brother had gotten him. It made Mokuba happy to see. 

Atem greeted him warmly and softly, announced that he had brought cake and then presented the said cake to Mokuba, who was then left standing with it as his brother made his grand entrance. And grand it of course was. It was hard to look casual walking down their massive staircase anyways, but his brother had a certain posture to him that made him look grand, his dramatic velvet suit also helped a great deal. Mokuba saw Atem's posture change as well and suddenly they looked like two great Kings, two commanders going over to meet each other. Mokuba noticed Kaiba was wearing an earring as well. One of the silver dragons Atem had gotten him. 

Atem spoke first, he sounded confident, almost borderline formal: "Kaiba," he began, followed by things Mokuba no longer understood. 

When his brother opened his mouth and actually spoke, Mokuba gasped despite of himself. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is either going to be me really pushing myself out of my comfort level and expanding this storyline a lot or wrapping it up as neatly as possible. I did not plan on Kaiba learning to write Japanese over the course of this chapter, but looks like he went ahead and did.


	9. Extortion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Atem's POV
> 
> Also I'm really sorry, I clicked post by accident before as I was writing, so if anyone got a notification and felt cheated I'm sorry. 
> 
> Also I changed the name of the game they got in last chapter.

"That will be 500 yen, please," Atem said, trying to sound more confident than he felt. Numbers were hard and polite customer service Japanese was even harder, so he wasn't really bursting with joy whenever his partner asked him to manage the cash register at the game shop, but he would live up to the challenge, not back down or complain. He owed too much to Yugi to complain about the things he asked him to do. Yugi was what made every new day in this world bright and happy and not terrifying in an immobilizing way. 

He was handed the coins by another bright-eyed young duelist and once he packed the booster back in a small bag, handed him the change and thanked him, another kid with another booster back stood before him. This one had his rival's face printed on the plastic it was in and Atem took the briefest moment to look at it, weighed the pack in his hand for a moment. 

_Vampire Lord_  
 _Swordstalker_  
 _Cost Down_  
 _White Dragon Ritual_  
 _The Flute of Summoning Dragon._ he informed Yugi. 

_Stop peeking into customer's booster packs and get back to work!_ his partner said through their telepathic connection with no real malice at all. 

_I'm not peeking. I can just feel the cards. There are only five cards in the pack, so it's easy._

_Still amazed by it._ Yugi's shared thoughts over their link warmed Atem's heart. They had opened more than 20 booster packs with Atem "guessing" every single card, before Sugoroku had come in and told them to stop. It seemed Atem's ability to read cards had only gotten better with his rebirth. Atem also never got tired of trying to impress Yugi with it. 

Later, as they had closed the shop for the night and were lying around in Yugi's room Atem's thoughts circled back to his earlier conversation with Ishizu while he fiddled with his new phone. She had visited him and Yugi a few days ago and while Atem tried not to think of her condemning his return to this world he couldn't quite put it out of this head. It added to the already persistent feeling that he didn't have a place in this world, a purpose. Everyone else already knew what they wanted from life, his partner would go on to make his own game, Anzu would become a dancer, Jounouchi a pro-duelist and while Honda didn't like the work he was doing (and really, Atem was well acquainted with the feeling of having to do something, because it was what you were meant to do and not because you wanted to) he too had a path set out for him. For the first time in his life Atem didn't have a mission, didn't have anything he had to do, he could choose whatever he wanted and he had no idea what he wanted. It felt wrong. He thought he should know. He had been given this amazing chance, he should not waste it. 

_I can feel you worry._ Yugi said. 

Atem made a face. _Sorry. It's nothing._

_You don't have to be sorry. Is this about what Ishizu said?_

_Not really. Not exactly. Do you think she might have been right?_

_I don't know. It seems - fair to me that you can have what you wanted, but maybe I'm just biased, because what you wanted is also what I wanted most in the world._

Atem smiled and wrapped his arms around Yugi tightly. _You're always so endlessly kind to me, partner._ Atem knew he had been gloomy ever since Ishizu's visit and that Yugi could feel it. The woman had lectured him quite heavily on the unnaturalness of the situation. On how wrong it was, had berated Seto Kaiba for playing God. It had filled Atem with rage. Because in his eyes Kaiba had done the ultimate kindness, had given him the life he wanted, but had been certain he could never have. He had told her off with all the confidence in the world, defended Kaiba's actions and eventually sent her off when she had suggested that she "help Atem return to the afterlife". The phase could be interpreted in many ways and Atem did not want to look deeper into it. He didn't even want to think about it. 

What he wanted was to talk to Kaiba. He knew he would be the one to get the seeds of doubt out of his head, to make him feel alive and his life full of meaning and excitement in a way that nothing besides Yugi's presence and their duels with Seto did. The two were very different in the way they made him feel complete, but he needed both. He needed the challenge and excitement that Kaiba somehow managed to provide even if their lives weren't being threatened. 

_I'm an utterly selfish man._

_What for?_ Atem jumped, not realizing he had left the thought for Yugi to hear. 

_I have all your kindness and company and all of this wonderful life here and yet I want - more._

_That's completely okay. I'd be worried if you had no other interests at all outside of spending time with me._

_It's certainly the highlight of my days._ Atem said, looking at the phone that always remained silent. No matter how much he willed Kaiba to call or text with a challenge. 

_You should call Kaiba-kun! He wants to play games with you as badly as you do._

_He will call me himself if he wants to. I'm sure he's busy._

At first Atem had been so certain Kaiba would call and challenge him. He had seen the excitement in his eyes, had felt it in the air between them as they spoke of playing. He had been entirely confident in telling Yugi that Kaiba was currently busy and would call when he could, but as days passed by and there was no sign of the CEO Atem started to wonder if he had misread the whole thing, if perhaps Kaiba was truly uninterested. He had, after all, said in his e-mail that there was to be no repeat of their friendly outing and much as that had made Atem feel a bit hollow, he thought there had been a good chance that Seto was filled with hot air and that card games were certainly still on the table. Maybe he had really gotten bored of the him? He wasn't the Duel King anymore technically after all, Yugi was. Yugi had beaten him. 

Atem spent hours in the virtual word of the online game he and Kaiba had both gotten, looking for anyone that might be him, but came up empty. When he still heard nothing of Kaiba in the next days and became more and more reluctant to call him, despite wanting to see him more and more every day, Yugi and Mokuba seemed to take matters into their own hands. Mokuba had texted his partner claiming Kaiba had not talked to anyone in a week. That worried Atem. Kaiba did not seem the type to get easily depressed, but really, he was very closed off so it was hard to tell. Either way Yugi and Mokuba both seemed equally convinced that they both really wanted to see each other so it was agreed Yugi and Atem would go and play games in their game room. To say Atem was excited about it, would have been an understatement, even if his worst case scenario happened and Kaiba completely ignored him, he and Yugi would have a wonderful fun-filled day playing all the games Kaiba had and they didn't. 

On the morning of the big day Yugi announced he was feeling ill and could not go. Atem knew instantly he was lying. 

_I had no idea I had bored you so entirely that you would fake an illness just to be rid of me for a few hours._ Atem thought as Yugi still pretended to feel unwell lying in his bed and he tried to draw the perfect cat eye. He loved modern make up and clothing, perhaps a little too much for what was considered appropriate for a guy, but he did not care, so he had already spent hours getting dressed and decorating himself. He could not stand before his rival and not look the part. 

_You know that's not true. I never want you to leave, but I know both you and Kaiba want some time for yourself._

Atem sighed at the teasing tone. Yugi and Mokuba had gotten this ridiculous notion in their head that Kaiba may have fancied him. To their credit, they weren't the only ones. Atem had not been able to leave his house two days after the shopping trip, because there were so many reporters about. They kept calling Yugi, his grandfather and all of their friends. All of whom were thankfully very tight-lipped. Even Anzu, who had called first thing the morning of the news of their shopping trip, _demanding_ to know that what the newspapers were saying was not true and Atem was not dating _Seto Kaiba_. Atem had laughed and assured her it was not true, much to his relief their relationship seemed to be going back to normal after the conversation they had that day. 

_Partner. What Kaiba and I have is a rivalry and I can only hope - now - finally - a friendship as well. To put any more hopes there would be foolish._

Yugi sighed. He said nothing more, but Atem was pretty sure he remained unconvinced.

 _I think Kaiba thinks that you and I are an item._ Atem added.

_I can see why he would._

Atem felt warmed at Yugi's statement he smiled, went over and gave him another hug, but he also felt - conflicted. He had the world's best partner right here, he had friends who loved him and wanted to spend time with him. If Kaiba did not want his friendship, he shouldn't chase after it. If he challenged him Atem would be happy to oblige, but they didn't have to resort to lies and trickery. 

_I think I'll stay home with you too._

_Go. Take the cake we made last night. I don't want you to eat all of Kaiba's food again._

_I'm not eating all of his food! I only ate some fruit and cheese last I was there...._

_And pancakes and Nutella before that and then you literally took a bite and a sip out of everything he was eating._

Atem felt a bit embarrassed _I just like the food of this modern era. It's so much better than most things I had. Even as a king..._

Yugi gave him another hug. _It's okay. Just take the cake and go._

It took Atem embarrassingly long to find the mansion of the richest man in Domino, but to his credit, Kaiba hadn't actually sent a car this time round and it was his first time going so far outside by himself. He was happy he had left with plenty of time to spare when he made it just in time, hopefully not looking like he had taken 3 wrong train lines on his way here. 

He was greeted by Mokuba first, who seemed sincerely happy to see him and Atem gave him his best polite greeting, which he hoped wasn't too polite (Japanese and it's levels of politeness were so confusing!) and announced that he had brought cake. At least he hoped that's what he had said, having a mental link with Yugi was great, but it also meant he didn't get nearly as much practice as he would have if they had been forced to speak. 

Seeing Kaiba made Atem glad he had dressed up. Kaiba never disappointed when it came to flare and a touch of drama. Atem doubted he walked around the house in a full suit and wearing his dragon earrings, so Atem was sure he too, had dressed up for the occasion. He was also happy to see his gift being appreciated and put to use. It was clear all his worries of Kaiba being bored of their rivalry had been entirely unfounded, one look into those bright blue eyes told him the man yearned to battle him. The earrings gave him reason to think his hopes for friendship were not unfounded either. 

He found himself straightening his posture, matching that of the CEO as they marched up to each other: "Kaiba," he said, the mere sound of his voice spoke of a challenge too and suddenly Atem found himself wondering if Kaiba not calling had been a challenge too. If he had wanted to see, which of them would cave first: "I apologize as it seems my partner was unable to show."

"It seems we've both been played," Kaiba said with the tiniest hints of amusements. Or did Atem imagine it?

Mokuba gasped and Atem looked over to him quizzically: "It does seem that those most dear to us are plotting against us. Or perhaps for us. Depending on your viewpoint."

Kaiba made a dramatic gesture with his hand: "Ignore them. They're being ridiculous." So Kaiba knew what Yugi and Mokuba thought. Atem made no attempts at deciphering the message further, even if Kaiba had by some miracle had feelings for him, he would not have so easily admitted them anyways and Atem tried, in general, not to dwell on the matter too hard. 

"Why does Mokuba look like - he's been bestowed some great present or a miracle?"

"I suppose it might have to do with me not having spoken a word all week." Ah. So that had not been an exaggeration after all. 

Atem raised an eyebrow: "And why is that?"

Kaiba didn't reply, he simply walked off towards his game room, Atem was sure he was expected to follow even if no such direct order was given: "I figured it out. The logic behind your PIN number. It's Blue Eyes White Dragon. BEWD. It's the numbers you would use if you were texting it out on an mobile phone where the letters are divided with 3 for each number."

Kaiba hummed, it was neither an affirming hum nor a condescending one: "Took you long enough." 

"Hardly," Atem lied. It had been difficult to figure out given he hadn't even known the Latin alphabet. "I figured you were otherwise occupied, too much so to hear an answer to a riddle."

Kaiba led them into his game room and stood for a moment, Atem tried to look less than ridiculously impressed, but failed. The selection and technology here still impressed him a great deal: "Not so much. Did the reporters give you much trouble?"

"Only for the first few days. I'm used to public attention anyway." Atem said before he wondered if he should have gone for a more humble answer. No. There was no room for humility here. 

Kaiba hummed and there was a moment of silence, where Kaiba seemed to expect something. An invitation? Well, Atem could offer one: "I was under the impression you would join me? Unless you're otherwise occupied." If Kaiba turned him down this would end up being a much more boring day than he had imagined, even with all the games, but he was sure he wouldn't. 

"Not in the slightest," Kaiba said, took a seat in one of the two chairs in the large room that housed every latest gaming console and game Atem could imagine. He sat on the second chair unoccupied by his rival and looked around for another moment Kaiba seemed to enjoy him enjoying the view. 

"I also have another room for older games and such," he said with such feigned nonchalance it was instantly clear he wanted to speak of nothing more. 

"Like - chess?" Atem prompted. 

"No, as in older consoles."

"Ah," Thankfully Atem was saved from feeling embarrassed by a light knock on the door and a maid entering the room, bringing along a tray, a set of beautiful silverware, tea and the cake Atem himself had brought. She set everything on a little portable table she had also brought and as she spoke even Atem could tell her Japanese was almost insanely polite. For a moment Atem felt like the king of Egypt again, he realized he felt strangely at home in this environment and he felt embarrassed for the thought a moment later. These sort of things, having money and servants, they didn't matter. He knew they didn't matter. Not really. 

He picked up a piece of cake beautifully served on expensive looking delicate china and watched his rival do the same: "You really don't have to bother with the social niceties," Kaiba commented as he took a bite. He seemed to reconsider his words as he did: "This is - not awful. Where did you buy this?"

"Yugi and I made it," Atem said and he knew he had the biggest brightest, proudest smile on his face as he did. 

"Ah. Dabbling in cooking, are you?" 

"I kind of want to try a bit of everything I never got to. Yugi is pretty kind in indulging me," As was Kaiba actually, after all, he had introduced Atem to wonderful things like Nutella and pancakes. When Kaiba only hummed in response Atem decided to carry on the conversation: "Have you tried playing Crystal Lands much?"

There was another hum: "It's actually pretty decent. Not just pretty graphics after all."

Atem smiled: "And dragons and magic. If you're not a Dragon Master I will have to reevaluate everything I know about you," he teased lightly.

Kaiba didn't actually smile, but he looked a bit bemused nonetheless: "And you're of course a Master of Dark Magic."

"I might be," Atem conceded. 

"Yugi's a Master of Light Magic," Kaiba said, somewhere between a guess and a question. 

"That he is, healing powers seem pretty neat," Atem agreed.

Kaiba hummed: "Mokuba has them too. They're useful when we go against a party."

That gave Atem pause: "A party in this game is - generally supposed to have 5 to 20 people. Who else is in yours?" 

Kaiba shrugged: "No one. Me and Mokuba have enough skill to take out 20 poorly skilled losers." 

Atem smirked: "I'd like to see that. Perhaps you and I should form one. We've generally had Jounouchi, Honda and Bakura in our teams as well and we've managed, but 2 people against a party of 20?"

"Please, if anything the mutt would slow your lot down. He's a handicap."

Atem took a deep breath and reminded himself not to be angry. This was just how the two were. Jounouchi didn't speak of Kaiba any more kindly than Kaiba did of him. Even now as Atem owned this life to him: "Not at all."

"If you'd like to see it, I see no problem. Although I would, I think, much rather enjoy beating you in a one-on-one fight." 

Atem smiled: "I thought you would. The dueling system in the game is interesting and it would be fun to duel you in the more classical sense of the word."

Kaiba had already booted up two of his computers and much as he tried to seem nonchalant Atem could tell he was suddenly eating his cake a lot faster. Atem didn't mind in the slightest. He felt very much the same: "Will you join me for a team up after I have wiped the floor with you?"

"I suppose I might indulge you after I have absolutely crushed you," Kaiba retorted. He offered Atem a wireless keyboard and after a little while they were both logged in and headed for a place to duel. The game projected before them on two ridiculously large high quality screens. 

"You have a cat," Kaiba noted, unimpressed at the feline trailing Atem. 

"I do. It's one of the other reasons I picked this class."

"You like cats?" Kaiba sounded... incredulous. It rubbed Atem the wrong way.

"Of course I like cats! They're divine beings!"

Kaiba actually had the audacity to snort: "They're part of the Master of Dark Magic class, because nowadays black cats especially are considered to be bad luck in the West."

"I heard. One of the stupidest things I have ever heard. And either way you're the one to speak, you've got three dragons. _Three_. That's bound to be hugely impractical." 

"Dragons are epic beasts far more useful in combat than a cat could ever be." 

"Yeah, but you know what cats are that dragons aren't? _Real_." Technically dragons had, at least at one time been real too, but Atem was feeling petty. 

"The love of your Priest's life was a dragon," Kaiba muttered and Atem wondered for a moment if his last comment had been taking it a little too far. He didn't have the time to mull it over, because their duel started. Atem found Kaiba was very skilled in this game as well. Really anything else would have been a disappointment. He wanted a fierce challenge and his rival did not disappoint in any way. He was an excellent magic yielder and his 3 dragons were making it extremely hard to get to him as he used them for long distance combat while he himself remained in safe distance. 

"Quit hiding behind your dragons!" Atem snapped.

"Oh? Are you finding them hard to defeat? Is your kitty-cat not being as helpful?" Kaiba taunted.

"You'll regret that," Atem bit back. He delivered on his promise as a few minutes later he was left laughing so hard he had practically fallen off the chair as Kaiba stared at the screen in disbelief: "Did you - turn it into a panther and _bit my head off_?" 

"Yep," Atem replied cheekily: "I think my kitty-cat was quite helpful," he picked his cat up in the game and stroked it: "Yes, you were. Yes, _you were_."

Kaiba just rolled his eyes: "I want a rematch. Best two out of three. This one is weird for not having several rounds anyway."

If Atem's friends had been there they would have protested and said that Kaiba was being a sore loser and said that he had lost and that was it and Atem half expected to hear these complaints, but then realized they were alone and just said: "Sure, but I'm still going to win." It didn't actually matter if he was going to win, because they both put everything they had in to win and that made the game fun, perhaps even more so if there were no stakes as high as usual. 

"This would be so much better if I adjusted it to my Solid Vision system," Kaiba said after they had sat there trying to stab each other for a good solid minute saying nothing more meaningful than a few jabs at the other. 

"Are you saying you'd like it to be more physical?"

"I feel like there would be an added element of satisfaction in getting to actually stab you." 

Atem laughed: "I wonder if that should worry me. I think I'd be a bit more hesitant to bite your head off then." His mind was unwillingly drawn to the memory of him nearly murdering the man next to him once upon a time. 

He saw Kaiba smirk from the corner of his eye: "I wouldn't. My system is perfectly safe now, although I'd probably take the limiters and safeties off if it was just the two of us." 

Kaiba's phone started buzzing somewhere behind them. He ignored it: "I'm not sure that'd be wise. I don't have Yugi anymore to keep me in check."

Kaiba scoffed: "Don't insult me. I'm not scared of you. I wouldn't want you to hold back. I think I respected you more when I finally realized that _you_ would have gone through with it." Apparently they were now both thinking of it. Strangely, it didn't seem to ruin the mood entirely. 

"I'm glad Yugi didn't let me. I would have hated myself for it for the rest of my life."

Kaiba snorted: "There would have been no reason to. I certainly would have held no grudge against you. Sometimes you need to do what you need to do." 

The phone behind them stopped buzzing for just a second, before it began again. 

"It's not just that, Kaiba. Sometimes...," Atem sighed: "There's a part of me that sometimes gets so carried away that I will do anything just to prove that I'm right. _Just to win._ And I've learned the hard way that's not good and it may come to punish me, but I know that somewhere deep inside I am still capable of flying off the handle like that and it scares me. I can be truly dangerous. I try to be a good person, but the potential is always there."

"I _know_ ," Kaiba's voice was deeper than usual as he emphasized his point and it caused Atem to shiver. He could feel Kaiba's piercing blue eyes on him and he turned to meet them: "You're _truly powerful._ When you choose to play by the ridiculous rules of kindness and goodness it's not because, like most people, you're too weak and measly, it's because you actually choose to do these things, you believe in them, but you're actually powerful. In a way that no else I have met is, you can go all the way and push _me_ all the way and it fills me with such greater desire to push back and beat you, it's _so_ -"

"Intoxicating," Atem finished: "It fills my heart with the sort of excitement that's one of a kind. I know. I feel it too," They sat there, completely transfixed, eyes locked with one another and Atem's stomach felt slightly hollow with a good kind of nervousness. He wondered then if maybe Yugi was right. If maybe his partner, who always seemed to know him better than anyone, better than he knew himself, was right about this too. Sure, he had been wrong about the strength and nature of his feelings towards Anzu, but that was only because Yugi himself was in love with her. Maybe this he had been right to pester Atem about. Maybe Atem liked Kaiba a little more than a friendship or a rivalry could describe. Was there anything romantic here? Was he making it up? Did it matter? It probably didn't. It wouldn't be like that for Kaiba, he thought, even as he was staring into the icy blue eyes, shushing the ridiculous annoying voice in his head that whispered. _What would happen if you leaned in a bit?_ Really, he wasn't stupid enough to try.

"No one else makes me feel like that," Kaiba said and he was very quiet, but not bashful about it. A moment later he tried a sneak attack on Atem, but the ex-Pharaoh's reflexes were just as good. They clashed together in a magnificent show of light and magic creating a colourful blast, so powerful that neither character could be seen. They both waited with baited breath to see who had taken out who, but after a moment gold letters on the screen announced: "It's a tie!" 

Kaiba looked frankly more offended than he had when he had lost. It greatly amused Atem.

"One of us must have been a fraction of a moment faster!" 

"Not that the game could tell," Atem said. He noticed Kaiba's phone was still ringing. It had not stopped ringing for more than a few seconds since it started: "Are you going to get that?"

"No, I'm busy," Kaiba said: "Third one?"

Atem nodded, he was very slightly concerned that he was keeping Kaiba from something important, but he also figured Kaiba knew how to prioritize his things. The third match also got incredibly close, both of their health bars looked as if there was nothing left, but the characters on the screen kept fighting as if their controllers' desire to keep going and give it every ounce of their being was fueling their will as well. Kaiba dealt the final blow and Atem's mage fell on his knees before the great Dragon Master. Atem was visibly impressed. 

"It's still technically a draw," Kaiba said and while Atem was happy with that outcome he did not seem to be. 

"I'm okay with that. I consider it to be an accurate representation of our powers, but if you'd like to have a forth go I am not opposed to it either."

"We did say best two out of three," Kaiba said, glaring at his phone that had not stopped buzzing the entire time. He reached for it: "I swear if the headquarters aren't at least on fire... I don't even speak.." he answered the phone and Atem did his best to listen and understand.

" _What do you want?_! I'm very busy with Atem-sama, can't this _wait_?!"

Atem did feel flattered that Kaiba found him more important than whatever business was being talked about, although he felt sorry for the person on the other end. He also found the polite honorific surprising. He couldn't imagine Kaiba having used it before, so was the choice here deliberate or were they both just fumbling their way through this overly complicated language?

"Yes, I do still want to /.../ company./../" some words were lost for Atem despite his best efforts. 

"Yes, it's /.../ 900 million /.../ Very well then!" Kaiba practically slammed the phone down. "Can't get anything done without me. We're buying this small factory to reduce production costs and they need my signature."

Atem could just barely keep up with that sentence, but he managed: "Do you need to go somewhere for it?"

"No, I can just print it out, sign it and send it back."

"Do you want to do that now?" Atem asked: "I don't mind waiting a bit." 

Kaiba seemed conflicted: "It... yeah, if you don't mind. It should be quick." 

"Go ahead. I'll pour myself some tea and wonder around this fantasy world," he said, unsure himself if he was referring to the game room or the game they were playing. 

Kaiba hummed, already minimizing the game and logging into some internal company systems: "Feel free to harass my staff for Nutella or whatever."

"I'm good. Yugi said I eat too much of your food."

"Hnph," Kaiba scoffed: "I'd be seriously impressed if you ate away my riches and not die in the progress. You can ring the stupid bell on the wall. It's an ancient system, but works." 

Not five minutes later Atem was happily dipping biscuits into a jar of Nutella and watching Kaiba e-mail company documents as if it was the most fascinating thing in the world. It _was_ fascinating and Atem was happy, eating Nutella and getting mentally ready to obliterate Kaiba at whatever they planned to play next. 

"Okay, I'm - ," Kaiba began, but then something else clearly caught his eye. 

"Some interesting business proposal?"

""No, a threat, I think. The subject line "A friendly warning. You have 2 days or we will make this public." sounds ominous if anything.

"Who's it from?"

"Anon78692@KCmail.com. Shocked it got through the spam filters," he said, ticking the e-mail and getting ready to send it to the trash forever, but he hesitated: "They do start rather dramatically, if I dare say so myself, "The Solid Vision system is an attempt to play God. You, Kaiba Seto, are not a God, you have no right to attempt at being one. Your world must be destroyed... the rest I can't see unless I click it, but it's probably a virus of some sort. I doubt they have any actual information to extort me with." 

"But you're a bit curious," Atem finished: "So click it? Even if it is a virus can't your fancy computer handle that?"

Kaiba sighed. He left for a few moments and returned with another laptop: "Might as well use one that isn't connected to the servers and doesn't have a lot of valuable information if we're going to download a virus."

Atem joined Kaiba at his laptop and looked over his shoulder: "Will you read it out to me?" 

"If you'd like," Kaiba shrugged and clicked on the e-mail. He translated for Atem flawlessly never missing a beat, as if the words before him were written in Ancient Egyptian and not Japanese. Atem envied him a bit: "The Solid Vision system is an attempt to play God. You, Kaiba Seto, are not a God, you have no right to attempt at being one. Your world must be destroyed. If you do not destroy it yourself, we will destroy it instead. We will leave nothing intact. We will destroy your virtual world and your real one, everything you love will be taken from you as punishment for your attempt at playing God."

Atem shivered despite himself. This sounded like a worse more aggressive version of the speech Ishizu had given him a few days back. Did these people knew Kaiba had brought him back?

"Well, they sure seem confident in their own abilities," Kaiba commented before reading: "You have two days to discontinue your Duel Links Solid Vision system. You must close all the servers, discontinue the game, halt production of your new Duel Disks and do an immediate and full call back of all the products out there. If you fail to comply to these terms in 2 days we will publish the attached video for the whole world to see. And that will only just be the beginning.

We are Truth. We are Justice."  
  
There was a video attached to the e-mail and Atem asked: "What could they possibly have that's so incriminating?"

"Not sure. It sounds like an insane cult. However if it's legitimate then this letter may be from one of my competitors, simply hiding behind this cult facade, then I may have to worry about another spy in my company. I do have incriminating things in my past." 

Atem considered: "Are you concerned about losing face in front of me when these things come to light?"

Kaiba scoffed: "I doubt you will be shocked to find that I'm ruthless and heartless. All common knowledge." 

Atem felt inclined to argue, Kaiba could do things that were both ruthless and heartless, but he was neither. Not really: "Then you won't mind me seeing the video too?"

"Curious, are you?" Kaiba asked, almost a tease. 

"Of course. They do talk it up quite a bit."

"They do, don't they?" Kaiba downloaded the file and then they scanned it for viruses. It came back clean. 

"Either they now actually have something discriminating against me or this is just a weird prank," he said, double-clicked the file and then put the video on full screen, checking the audio was on. 

The screen showed what was unmistakeable a view of Kaiba's bedroom, some details on the background looked different from what Atem had seen last he was there, as well as the bed-linen, but it was still fairly obvious it was the same room, more specifically a view of Kaiba's bed. What came next neither of them was expecting. Atem sat there, his mouth going dry, but somehow unable to look away from the screen either. Both of them seemed to be in a trance, watching the scene unfold, but unable to do anything about it. Kaiba recovered first, closing the video and silencing what sounded like his own moans and whimpers. 

They both sat in complete silence for a long moment, before Kaiba spoke: "Well, I'll give them points for originality, but I also plan to absolutely destroy them." 

"How - we've - I've never even seen you without your shirt off!"

"They obviously used the Solid Vision System and it's vast customization possibilities to make this. An exact replica of me is included in the models. Although how I look naked they have used their imagination for. You they seemed to have made from scratch. Or based on some other model rather with heavy modification. "

" _It looks exactly like me_!" Atem protested: "The only thing they got wrong is my voice."

"That's because there's no public record of what you sound like. At least, not in this body and they have no idea you previously shared a body with Yugi. Good job on giving no interviews or saying anything to the paparazzi or that would be better too. It's the first very solid weak point of this I can see." 

"How do they know what your bedroom looks like?" 

"I did a photoshoot for one American magazine titled Vanity Fair years ago. That's the only place I can think of. There are no other public records of what my bedroom looks like," Seto sounded very grim, but Atem was incredibly impressed with how level-headed and calm he was, considering what they had just watched. He himself was struggling to feel as calm as Kaiba looked. 

"I've seen porn made with Solid Vision before," Atem said and when Kaiba gave him a weird look he felt he needed to elaborate: "Jonouchi insisted I see all the best stuff out there," Kaiba did not look any better after that comment so Atem just moved on: "It's never _this_ good. _This_ realistic. You can always tell it's fake. The little things tip you off. It looks - wrong. This - it looks - ," perfect seemed like a very wrong word to describe the video they had just seen so he went with: "Completely real."

Kaiba shrugged: "The difference is in effort. Even the best attempts you have seen are made by someone horny looking to bring their sexual fantasies to life. This isn't someone's fantasy. At least I think not. This is a deliberate and calculated attempt at blackmailing me. They have put so much effort in because they believe that with this they can de-throne one of the most powerful men in Japan. They're not looking for justice or truth, that part is a facade. They're looking for power, money... Besides, I made Duel Links with the intent of letting people create their own perfect world. You are supposed to be able to create something that looks as real as the real thing. I just seemed to have underestimated people's obsession with sex."

Atem snorted: "What are you going to do?"

"With this? Find them. Destroy them. They've added a filter over the whole thing to make the video look grainy in the semi-darkness. If I was having sex with someone and wanted to record it I would get a camera that captures everything perfectly. For that alone they deserve to die." 

" _That's_ your big issue with this?" 

"No. I was making a joke," he said in the same dead-serious voice he had said everything since he had closed the video. "Only about this though. I _will_ destroy them. But first I'll write to Mokuba, all of my mail gets forwarded to him too, I don't want him opening that. I'm not sure any amount of skilled therapists would be able to undo the damage."

Atem was inclined to agree: "Yeah, he has seen some stuff, but I can't really think of things much more scarring than a sex tape of your brother. Real or not." 

Kaiba hummed and given what they had just watched Atem found that his body was reacting in unexpected ways to the noise: "Are you telling him what it is?"

"I'll just say someone sent us some virus-infected porn as a prank. That will stop him from clicking it and I don't want him getting wrapped up in this. I'll try not to involve anyone into this for as long as possible," he gave Atem a stern look: "Don't you tell anyone either." 

"Is that wise? You don't have that much time. What if involving others would help you solve this before the deadline drops?"

"i still have all my company assets at my disposal. If I can't solve this within 24 hours I'll involve as many people from my company as I have to." 

"You also have me," Atem pointed out. Kaiba's eyes snapped to him before he continued: "I already know anyways. So, if you need help I could offer mine."

"I can handle this on my own," Kaiba said firmly. It was the sort of stubbornness that drove Atem mad. Why wouldn't he just accept help? They were friends. Friends helped each other. 

"This involves me too," he said. 

"I know. Don't worry. I'll handle everything. "Atem sighed.

"I'll ask for your help if I think of anything," Kaiba promised a moment later. 

Atem smiled, knowing that was as far as he was going to get. He was just wondering if he should stay or leave as he saw a message pop up on Kaiba's screen. It made the CEO roll his eyes. 

"What?"

"Mokuba asked if you were in the room while I opened it." 

Atem snorted: "I'm going to have some explaining to do for Yugi." The two were undoubtedly texting about how the entire thing was going, given the entire affair seemed to be their joint plan. 

Kaiba's eyes locked with his once more: "Don't tell him." 

"I can't keep things secrets from Yugi. Not well anyway. Sharing thoughts makes it - complicated. He wouldn't tell anyone. Yugi won't tell anyone. He's excellent at keeping secrets," Atem said in a tone that he thought was both serious authoritative and calm. 

Kaiba just hummed: "I don't want your group of dorks finding out."

"They won't. Yugi kept _me_ a secret from them for ages before any of them found out and even then I believe Anzu figured it out on her own."

There was another vaguely uninterested sounding hum as Kaiba started to type away on his computer. Atem figured their games were played for the day, he couldn't be mad, all things considered, but he did feel a bit disappointed. He had looked forward to this much more than he had admitted to anyone and he had immensely enjoyed it while it had last, but it seemed that asking for a relatively casual low stakes game to last was too much to ask. He sat there for a while wondering if he should go or stay. Perhaps it would not take Kaiba too long to find whoever was extorting him? He sat on the other free chair for a while, eating cookies and watching Kaiba'a elegant long fingers dance over the keyboard, the man glanced over to him a while later, in response to which Atem could only offer a cookie. He figured Kaiba would tell him if he was annoying him. He wasn't the type to hold his tongue. 

The offer was actually taken: "Not awful," Kaiba commented, his mouth filled with the said treat. 

"How's it looking?"

"Like whoever did this isn't a complete idiot, but I thought as much when I saw the video quality," he sighed deeply and leaned back on his chair: "This will take me a while." Atem could tell he too was disappointed with the way this day was turning out. 

"I'll be going then," he replied, standing: "Do tell me if there's anything I can do to help."

"Do you need a car?"

"Think I'll be fine. I got here all right. I'll get back too."

He had already gotten to the door when he heard Kaiba speak: "A draw is not a satisfying outcome. I will beat you. I just need to finish this."

Atem frowned: "Do you not want me to go?"

"I have no idea how long this will take. Could be all night. I do not require company and I can't think of anything for you to do except maybe distract Mokuba. He's sharp. He'll figure out something is off sooner rather than later. But I will challenge you again."

"i expect nothing less," Atem said seriously although he had to say Kaiba's words cheered him up. Maybe that was the whole reason they were spoken, in some weird effort to reassure him: "I'll be waiting."

Kaiba turned back to his computer and Atem started making his way through the long halls of the Kaiba mansion towards the exit. What a ridiculous day it had been. How was he going to explain all this to Yugi? Maybe he should try keep it a secret after all. It was what Kaiba wanted and frankly the whole thing was too awkward to even think about it, even as images of it flashed through Atem's mind every now and again. 

He ran into Mokuba on his way to the main hall: "Going so soon?" the younger boy asked.

Atem nodded. Mokuba said something he did not understand fully and he just stared blankly at the boy. Mokuba grabbed for his notebook out of habit, before he seemed to remember Atem couldn't read perfectly either.

"It's nothing," a polite lie that really meant "I can't think of a way to say this so you'd understand." Whenever Atem wasn't around Yugi or Kaiba he felt so cut off from the world. He studied Japanese. He really did. A lot, but every now and again someone would say something and he would not understand at all. 

"Is everything okay?"

Because Atem knew Kaiba wanted to keep things a secret he put on an encouraging smile and lied: "Fine. All is fine." Mokuba still looked very sad to see him go. Atem soon reached outside into the chilly dark night of the Domino city. It looked breathtakingly beautiful, lit up in the darkness, but also entirely different from what it looked like during the day. Atem wondered if he should have asked for a car after all. No. He will be fine. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus a new plotline begins! This is really turning out to be an epically long story. At least another 10 chapters to go. Hope you're here for it. I really want the plotlines here to be interesting and important too, not just the character explorations. Hopefully I manage.  
> I thought the game they play might be a bit odd, but then I remembered how Duel Monsters is played in the manga and decided to leave my worries. 
> 
> Leave all your thoughts in the comments for I love reading them.


	10. Lost

Kaiba let his head fall against the hard wood of his desk once he was sure Atem was far enough not to hear him and groaned. Couldn't he get a break? Just once, he'd like to have a week when someone wasn't actively trying to destroy his life. Was that so much to ask? He was a billionaire CEO, but life never seemed to get to the point where he could just relax and enjoy it for a small amount of time. Would he ever get there or would he die of heart attack at 30?

He shook these useless pathetic thoughts out of his head and returned to the task at hand, which was finding whoever was responsible for ruining his day. He was hoping to manage without involving anyone else or actually watching the entire video, but he was already rapidly coming to the conclusion that whoever was doing this was not a complete idiot and had actually not left any immediately obvious clues to who they might be. He'd have to involve his staff and he knew this, but he also really didn't want to, so in his endless stubbornness he kept at it alone. He had already traced the IP address where the e-mail had come from to a cafe in Paris, but that seemed so random and out of place he couldn't even be sure that's where the message had been sent from. He had no enemies in France that he could think of. Unless someone had gone there specifically for the purposes of e-mailing that video to him, but that would mean they were really sparing no expenses at all. Still, it seemed more logical to assume the mail had not, in fact, been sent from there at all. 

He heard Mokuba come in. His younger brother had the sort of disappointed sad look that Kaiba imagined parents usually reserved for when their children when they messed up and that he would have dubbed as the "I'm not mad, just disappointed" look. He let Mokuba stand there next to him and stare, he would ignore him until he actually voiced his thoughts. 

"Nii-sama?"

"Mh?"

Mokuba was quiet for a moment: "...Are you back to not talking again?" he sounded both horrified and fed up at the same time. 

Kaiba, perhaps feeling a bit petty, shrugged. 

"You can't be serious! I'm - Nii-sama, please."

Kaiba rolled his eyes, Mokuba was foolishly making this into a game and he would not back down from a challenge or a game even if he was otherwise occupied. He pulled his brother closer, almost without looking at him and ruffled his hair.

"Come on, please. At least talk to me if you won't talk to anyone else. I won't say a word about the way you sound ever. I don't even care, really. I just want to hear you speak." 

Kaiba sighed. Sometimes he wondered if Mokuba wasn't the most powerful man in Domino City instead of him, because he had the power to make even Kaiba do the things he didn't want to. All he had to do was sound sincere and sad and his older brother would cave. To Mokuba's credit he never tried to abuse his power to get something mundane out of his brother on a childish whim, he only used these tactics when he thought it was in his brother's or someone else's best interest. 

"You're still mad at me?"

"No." 

Mokuba sighed a sigh of relief: "What happened with Atem?"

"Nothing." The truth was that Seto hadn't stopped talking, because he wanted to irk his brother. He had stopped talking, because he knew he sounded _wrong_ , he had a terrible accent and no one would think him Japanese if he opened his mouth. It was humiliating to speak in public, not being a foreigner and yet completely sounding like one. Not to mention it was a bit dangerous, he was a public figure, who knew what kinds of rumours would start to circulate when enough people heard him speak sounding like - whatever nationality they thought he sounded like. So he had decided to shut up until his accent was perfect. Granted, he could have still spoken in private, but he didn't ever do things halfway. He had simply decided that he wasn't allowed to speak until he could speak perfectly. Some might have seen it as a rather odd way of punishing oneself for not managing to learn a language at an inhuman speed, but Kaiba was so used to odd punishments, this one didn't even register with him. Well, it hadn't worked out in the end after all. 

" _Nii-sama_." 

"Nothing," Kaiba repeated in his best uninterested monotone. 

"What are you doing?" 

"Work," Kaiba replied in a similar tone that was just short of telling Mokuba to leave him alone. 

"Can I help?" 

"No."

Even his iciest, coldest replies never seemed to bother Mokuba, who apparently took this as an invitation to stay and watch see his older brother was doing: "You're tracking someone down."

Kaiba sighed: "Yes." Mokuba, much like him, didn't know when to let go. Or maybe he knew when there was something that he shouldn't let go of.

"Who?"

Kaiba had to make an effort not to visibly pause in his work. He didn't want Mokuba get caught up in this mess with him. Despite his rather unsuccessful outcomes Kaiba had always wanted to shield Mokuba from some of the worst things in life, like every good parental figure he wanted Mokuba to have an easier, more carefree and happy life than he did and if that meant dealing with a lot of stuff alone, so be it. At the same time he knew Mokuba was the only person in the world he could entrust with his secrets fully, with the most delicate things, with the darkest and dirtiest things and Mokuba would never judge him for it. But this, this he didn't want his little brother to be involved in. 

"I don't know yet."

Mokuba showed no sign of leaving. Instead he pulled up the chair next to his brother and watched him work, looking like he was planning to spend his entire night there. When it became very evident that the more Kaiba tried to hide his intent, the more Mokuba would want to know, he decided to adopt a different route.

"Hey, listen. I don't want you involved in this." 

"In what?"

"In what I'm doing."

"What _are_ you doing?" 

This conversation was starting to feel like hitting one's head against a brick wall. Somewhere deep inside Kaiba already knew he was going to cave: "I don't even want you to know that." He was being too honest. Honesty never allowed you to keep things to yourself. Lies and secrets did, but he hated lying to Mokuba. Even terrible truths were always more valuable in his eyes than beautiful, safe, coddling lies. 

"I have the right to know if it has anything to do with our company. I'm the Vice President." That was also true. An argument hard to argue against. He was going to tell him. It was going to be a very awkward conversation, but there was no running from it. 

"You're also my little brother," Kaiba said with desperation and he saw that all he had managed to do was to scare and worry Mokuba further. So he knew that truth was the best way to go. One's mind could create fantasies and possibilities more terrifying than the coldest truths. 

He pulled up the e-mail and let him read it. Then he told him in the plainest, clearest, simplest way, he could think of, without describing the thing too much, what was in the video: "It's a sex tape of me and Atem, it's made using Solid Vision, but it looks perfectly real. Anyone who didn't know us personally could be fooled."

Despite his relatively simple non-descriptive explanation Mokuba looked horrified. Of course he would. He did his best to pull himself together quickly, thought it over for a little bit and then decided: "I'll help you. In any way I can that doesn't involve me seeing the thing."

"I'd sooner die than let you see it," Kaiba said, entirely serious, but he did feel better. The air was clear and as selfish as that was he felt a little less alone, a little more hopeful that between themselves they would come to some solution that would not involve involving more of his staff. 

Hours passed in silent work that led them nowhere. They were going to get security tapes from the Paris cafe, having sent someone over there to get them, without telling them the whole story, but insisting they must be secured. Kaiba was certain they would be. His staff was professional. What he needed they would get for him, he didn't have to explain himself if he didn't want to. That wasn't his concern. His concern was that they would find nothing there. He was almost certain they wouldn't. The video file itself was stripped of any useful metadata. It had been run through an extra video editing software and even then all useful information had been stripped. He thought there might have been some in the video itself, but he doubted that very much and he wanted to put re-watching it off for as long as possible. But there was really nothing else left to do at that point. He had done all he could think of, even if he did involve his staff in this, he wasn't sure what they could do that he already hadn't tried.

Mokuba's phone rang and Kaiba head him answer but didn't pay attention much at first, not until he heard Mokuba say: "Atem left here hours ago. Is he not home yet?"

Kaiba turned to around in his chair instantly, his hopeless pursuit of whoever was blackmailing him momentarily forgotten as he listened.

"Have you tried calling him? Can't you - reach out to him? With your powers?" Mokuba asked: "Oh. Of course! Yeah. Yeah. Don't worry, maybe he did, I'll have Nii-sama try call him. don't worry yet. I'm sure he's fine. I'll call you right back after he calls," as Mokuba ended the phone call it was evident that much as he told Yugi not to worry, he himself was already very much concerned. 

"Atem is missing. He didn't come home. Can you call him? See if you can reach him. He doesn't speak Japanese that well yet so Yugi calling or texting might not help much. They can't communicate over such great distance."

Kaiba had already picked up his phone, his stomach feeling a little hollow as he looked for Atem's number in the contacts. Not that it took much looking, it was right at the beginning,

"Do you think he might have been kidnapped?" 

"It's a possibility. People seem to think I care for him," Kaiba said, glancing over to his computer as he pressed the phone to his ear. If whoever was blackmailing him was attacking him from several sides, it certainly didn't make things easier for him.

"Kaiba," Atem was the one to answer his phone. 

Kaiba felt as if a heavy stone had been lifted from his chest and he released a breath he hadn't noticed he was holding. Atem was alive. And all right. Probably. Unless the blackmailer was about to take the phone and list his demands: "Where are you?!"

"Oh. Did Yugi call? I worried that he might start to worry."

"If course he called! You never got home and it's been - ," he looked at the time. It was nearly midnight. He was shocked Yugi hadn't called sooner: "Five hours!"

"Yeah, I may have gotten a bit lost," Atem admitted, although it was clear from his tone he did not enjoy admitting this. 

" _A bit_? Atem, it takes 45 minutes to get from my place to yours. At _most_."

"I think I took the wrong train a few times." 

Kaiba sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose: "Why didn't you call anyone?"

"I wasn't sure how to explain my situation to Yugi. We can't communicate via our telepathic link with such distances between us and my Japanese is not that great. I run into that same problem with almost all my other friends. I don't even know how to say "I'm lost" in Japanese. I'm sure I learnt it, but I have forgotten." 

"And why didn't you call me?" Kaiba already had a few good guesses as he asked. He had never hurried to help Atem and his friends willingly, even when Atem had asked. He had, always helped them in the end, but it had never been an easy process to get him to that point. Much as Atem spoke of their supposed friendship every now and again he doubted he could really call him a friend. But Atem had come to him for help several times anyway. So why not now? Because it wasn't the whole world at stake? Not his friends' safety, but only his?

"I knew you were busy. You have that extortion to deal with, I'm sure you can't be bothered with an ex-Pharaoh wondering the rice fields."

"The _rice fields_?" Seto repeated. 

"Yeah. It's been nothing but rice fields for a long while now. It was trees and parks for a while before."

Kaiba groaned. Great. He had thought he would just go and pick Atem up wherever he was, but it seemed he would be somewhere extremely hard to find. As if having one person to track down wasn't difficult enough. 

"Why couldn't you have at least stayed somewhere easy to find?"

"The last station I got off at was very small and there were no more trains coming that night so I decided to walk." 

Kaiba didn't bother asking _where_ had the great Pharaoh in all of his wisdom planned to walk. "You're outside of Domino," not a question, a guess. Most places in Domino had trains running at least until midnight, not everywhere of course, but rice fields also seemed to indicate Atem was quite far from the city: "I'm tracking down your phone signal and coming to find you on my helicopter. Try not to loose yourself even further," he said dryly, already opening a new window on his computer to do just that. Mokuba was on the phone with someone too, possibly Yugi, but Kaiba couldn't focus on three things at once, so he wasn't sure: "Aren't there any houses? Any landmarks?"

"None that I can see. There was a small supermarket, but that was a long long time ago. I think. You're really coming to get me?"

Kaiba felt almost insulted by how surprised Atem sounded: "I came to get you to the afterlife, didn't I? I think I can manage to find you from a rice field." 

" _Thank you,_ " It was sincere. Too sincere. Kaiba never knew what to do with Atem when he was like that.

"Don't move. Wait for me. I'll come and get you." 

"Did you manage to track down your blackmailer?" Kaiba ended the call without a reply. He hadn't, but he wasn't about to admit that. Instead he got one of his little portable computers from the large drawer in his desk and headed into his bedroom to get his coat from his wardrobe: "Mokuba," he called, but his younger brother was already following him. 

"Are you on the phone with Yugi?"

"Yes."

"We're going to find Atem. Taking the helicopter," he hoped that was what he said. He didn't have as much time to think about his sentence structures as he would have liked, being in a hurry. 

"Yugi wants to come with."

"No time." he argued: "I'll - I will - tch," sometimes the fact that he couldn't think of a simple word when he needed it made him want to tear his own hair out: "I'll save him," too dramatic of a wording, not what he meant exactly, even through he was technically saving him, but he couldn't think of a better wording, all he was focused on was getting the things he needed, his coat, his keys, his wallet, his shoes, something warm to wrap Atem in. It was cold outside this late and he had been out for hours with only the flimsy black and gold jacket on. He couldn't form a plan and try and think of complex structured sentences at the same time. 

"Save him?" Mokuba sounded worried. 

"It's okay. Atem's fine. Atem's a rice field!" 

" _Atem is a rice field_?!" Mokuba repeated, sounding both baffled and bemused. Kaiba couldn't tell if he was genuinely confused or choosing this very poor time to actually correct his grammar. Either way it rubbed him the wrong way and made him feel even more irritable. He didn't have time to go and save an Ancient Pharaoh from a rice field, but he couldn't let his greatest rival spend the night at a rice field either. If Atem froze to death, or much more likely, got pneumonia that then killed him, that would have certainly been a most inexcusably dull death for the most cunning and clever of duelists and Kaiba knew, deep down, that even if Atem would have not died as a result of his detour (which was more than likely), he couldn't have left him there either. There was no honour in knowingly leaving his rival in such a disgraceful state. 

Happy with the excuse he had made for himself for saving a man he dared not call a friend and yet somehow cared more for than many people did for their friends, Kaiba made his anxious way to the helicopter. Mokuba was still speaking to Yugi in a calming, cheerful and friendly tone, none were emotions that Kaiba felt. As he sat in the pilot's seat for take-off, still feeling like he could vibrate out of his skin, he tried to find reasons for all the anxiousness that he felt. _I don't have time for this. Every minute that passes is a minute lost to whichever moron is attempting to blackmail me,_ he reasoned. It seemed like a good excuse for his irritation and anxiety, but he felt it wasn't right. Was he worried about Atem? No. That couldn't be right either. Atem was fine. He was alive and well and Kaiba would soon find him, the situation would be dealt with. There was no reason to worry. So why did his heart beat with such anxiety? He tried to beat the feeling down, but it only grew after take-off. He realized that much as he had tracked Atem down to an area that seemed reasonably small on the map, in reality it was big enough that finding him might take a while. His positioning systems would have been more accurate in the city, but Atem seemed to have wondered off into much more rural areas, where reception was spotty at best and therefore his estimate was rather approximate. In addition to that they had left the city and the lights of it behind, here the rural area lay almost in complete darkness and as he looked down, illuminated only by the lights of his own helicopter, he was almost impressed at his rival's ability to get so throughly lost. If this had been an elaborate game of hide and seek he would have commended his rival. 

Mokuba had of course joined him for the ride, he was looking down into the darkness as well, occasionally glancing at the screens his brother was looking at, where it showed that they had almost reached the general area Atem was in, putting together what was going on based on the information he saw, rather than his brother's commentary.

"Is Atem really all right?!" Mokuba cried over the roar of the engine. 

"Yes. I will find him," Kaiba said firmly. 

He felt his brother's hand on his shoulder: "Of course we will, Nii-sama. Don't worry."

Kaiba said nothing. He wanted to deny that he was worried at all, but the anxious feeling in his chest grew stupidly harder to ignore as he looked down into the darkness. They had reached the area where Atem was supposed to be, but the margin of error was too wide. Kaiba decided to fly as close the road as he could manage. Atem wasn't stupid enough to wonder off the road entirely, he thought. They went around the area for a bit, but could not find their lost Pharaoh. The nervousness and irritation in Kaiba's chest only grew. He refused to call it worry and allowed it to morph into anger. Anger he was more familiar with, anger made sense for him, anger felt safe. I _don't have time for this. I'll just leave the idiot, He can take care of himself_ he thought, but he didn't act upon the thought. A moment later he thought he saw a figure down on the road and landed it instead. 

"Did you see him?!"

"Maybe," Kaiba said as he stood to exit the copter. 

His feet got wet the moment he stepped outside onto the field and even when the helicopter had quieted down and its blades were no longer turning, it was still ridiculously windy and cold. Kaiba found he could see nothing in the cold, wet windy darkness. He should have brought a flashlight. He pulled his coat around himself tighter and wondered if his mind had been playing tricks on him: " _Atem_?!" he called into the cold darkness. Nothing but silence and wind met his call, but he decided to carry on by foot. What he had seen had reminded him of a human being, but there was no sight of Atem. He found a lost coat and a pair of sneakers on the road a bit ahead and although they were clearly not Atem's these lost inexplainable items instilled a sense of fear in him. The whole scene was so dark, so cold and lonely it was almost dream-like. A nightmare. He had such nightmares a lot. He shook the thought away. It was foolish. And yet it creeped back up on him, the darkness around him seemed endless, his surroundings all the same. _What if you'll never find him?_ a terrible thought whispered, injecting something panic-like into him to accompany the fears. Kaiba looked back in search for Mokuba, half-worried he'd too would be gone. He wasn't, but he was a while away and Kaiba waited until he caught up, taking his younger brother's hand tightly in his own. Much as his fear of losing him, of losing both of them and never finding them again, was entirely irrational he could not shake it enough to let go of his brother's hand.

 _Why is the darkness so dark? It's almost like a Shadow Game._ Kaiba thought, pushed the thought aside. It wasn't. This was just normal boring darkness. His mind was just trying to trick him. He would not let it. He would not fall pray to these tricks. He dialed Atem's number and waited. The line stayed quiet for a long while, before an automated message informed him that Atem could not be reached. There was no reception. He supposed he needed to be thankful that he had reached him at all before, but it only fanned the feelings of panic and dread within. He had to find him. He would. Kaiba shouted: " _Atem_! Come out or I will leave without you!" An empty threat. A blatant lie that remained without a reply.

" _Answer me_!" he cried as he pushed forward. He felt he should go back to his helicopter and carry on the search with it, but they had not had much luck that way earlier and he wanted to try carrying on by foot for a little while. 

It seemed Yugi was attempting to call Mokuba, but the call got cut off several times and from what Kaiba could hear neither could hear the other very well. 

" _Atem_!" Kaiba called again. He moved, guided by feel rather than anything rational, he walked in the direction he thought his rival might be, he had nothing to back it up, just a feeling, as if they too were somehow connected and he was following that thread to Atem. He knew there was one, deep down. They shared a bond too, different from Atem's and Yugi's bond, but one nonetheless. 

Whether or not Atem felt his closeness too or had simply seen him land, the next time Kaiba called out for Atem he was rewarded with a shout back and fast-paced footsteps coming to meet him: “ _Kaiba_!" 

Kaiba resisted the urge to ran up to him, instead waiting until Atem reached them. It was a weight off his shoulders and he felt himself sigh out of relief and he almost wanted to smile: "Come on, let's get back." Even in the near complete darkness Kaiba could tell Atem was freezing, the way he held himself, attempting to wrap himself around his body for warmth made it incredibly obvious. Kaiba wasn't exactly feeling overly warm either, but he figured his turtleneck would last him the walk back to the helicopter. He yanked his long purple coat off and wrapped it around Atem, as his fingers brushed against his rival's arms, he thought he felt like a block of ice: "Won't you be cold?"

"I'll live," Kaiba said, despite the fact that he was already freezing, but Atem was wrapping himself into his massively oversized coat as if it were the warmest thickest blanket so asking it back would have been a cruelty he was capable of, but didn't want to stoop to right now: "Try not to trip on it or get it too dirty. I do like that one a lot."

"i'm not _that_ short. And I like it too," Atem said. He walked very close to Kaiba and Mokuba as they headed back and Kaiba wondered if he was still cold. Probably. 

"Yes, you are," he argued, a companionable tease.

"You're just ridiculously tall. All long limbs and elegance," Kaiba glanced over at Atem. A compliment or a jab? Or a compliment disguised as a jab? He couldn't tell. He was actually starting to feel so cold that he had to grit his teeth to keep them from clattering and he picked up his pace, finding both Mokuba and Atem seemed to have some small trouble keeping up, especially with Atem wrapped in his oversized garments. He took both of their hands in either of his to make them keep up. Atem's hand was still freezing and his various rings were digging into Seto's skin. Kaiba also felt oddly like a father of two. Atem must have felt the analogy too for he said: "I'm not a child, Kaiba. I can keep up." 

Kaiba let go of him: "Then keep up." 

They didn't speak until they reached the helicopter and even as they stepped inside Atem was oddly quiet so Kaiba looked over to gauge at his expression and stared: "What happened to your face?" in the better lighting of the cockpit he could see several large bruises forming on Atem's face.

"I got in a fight," Atem replied, full of quiet defiance. 

"I can _see that_ ," Kaiba said, irritable again. "What happened? Where? When?" he demanded, grabbing the blanket he had brought from home and although the urge to wrap it around himself was great, he tossed it at the still visibly shivering ex-Pharaoh, who took it in what seemed like quiet gratitude. 

"They wanted to take my jewels," Atem said: "The jewelry you had given me," he said and it sounded like that in itself was a greater offense than the fact that people had tried to rob him. He looked down at his various rings with such warmth it made Kaiba feel a bit warmer too: "How many? When?"

"Four of them. I knocked two out, two got away. At one of the train stations."

"Tch," Kaiba wanted to swear: "There are cameras all over these places, Atem! What if they go to the police?!"

"And say what? That they got beat up while trying to rob me?! They are the criminals, Kaiba! I've beat up plenty of criminals back in Yugi's body. None of them ever filed a report."

"I think that's largely to do with the fact that you screwed with their mind. But fair enough. I will delete the footage from the security cameras anyway."

"Thank you," Atem said, he looked almost bashful. 

Mokuba however, looked annoyed: "Nii-sama, Atem, are you going to tell me what's going on? What happened to Atem's face?" 

Kaiba sighed, found that he didn't know quite a lot of the words he needed to explain this and said: "Hard to - explain. I will tell you later. Call Yugi. Say we're going back to our place. He can meet us there." He had no overly rational explanation for bringing Atem back to his place instead of just dropping him off to Yugi's other than the fact that their mansion had a better landing spot, but he hoped no one called him out on it. He knew, deep down that it was to do with him not wanting to lose sight of him so soon after finding him again, but he would sooner cut out his tongue than admit it. He tried not to even think about it.

He sat in the pilot's seat, there was another free seat right next to him, but his brother still stood by his side, making the call to Yugi. Once he was done Kaiba called his name and gestured to the empty seat with a nod.

"Atem? Would you like to enjoy the view? I can sit in the back," Mokuba offered in his seemingly everlasting show of kindness and friendship. Atem stared at him blankly, clearly not understanding much at all. Not surprising given that Kaiba himself still often only pieced together meanings from words he understood and gestures rather than fully comprehending all sentences. 

"Come sit here next to me. Better view. Mokuba thinks you'll enjoy it." 

Atem thanked the younger, friendlier, or at least the more soft-spoken Kaiba in his best Japanese and made himself and his blankets over to the seat. Kaiba smiled when he glanced over. He couldn't help it. Atem looked so amusing nearly drowning in his jacket. 

"What?"

"You're _adorable,_ " he tried to make it sound like a jab rather than a compliment, but Atem did not react in a way that seemed offended. 

"You're shivering," he noted: "You're cold."

"I'm already warming up. Keep the blanket," Kaiba ordered as he saw Atem trying to squirm his way out of it: "I can't fly with that thing wrapped around me."

They flew back to Domino City and Atem paid great attention to everything around him, although Kaiba had to admit he was looking at what Kaiba was doing almost as much as the view. Kaiba didn't mind. 

"Is flying very difficult?"

"Fairly. Helicopters and planes are different too, but I can do both. So can Mokuba, even though technically he is too young to have a license."

Atem considered this: "Can you teach me? To fly one or the other?"

"I'm not qualified to. I could pay someone else to teach you. Can you drive a car?" He knew the answer, really. Considering they didn't have a word for car and they were just using Japanese loans for every second word in this conversation the question was stupid.

Atem replied still, sincere and not at all mocking: "No. Are they similar?"

"Not at all, but I would like to know you can manage a simpler vehicle first before going for an aircraft."

"Are you _scared_ , Kaiba?" Atem teased. 

"Not at all, but letting you kill us would just be stupid." 

Atem considered this: "Could you teach me how to drive a car then?"

"Technically I could. Whenever I have some free time, however I haven't really had any significant amount of free time since - well I suppose since I was adopted really. So you may have better luck asking someone else."

Atem had no response to that and for a while Kaiba could focus on flying while his rival stared out of the window and seemed to admire the view: "You'd think life has gotten easier with all the advancements, but really people just have different problems," he eventually stated, thoughtful. 

"It has gotten easier. By a lot. As challenging as things have been I would never trade places with your priest from what I remember of his life. And even without that knowledge I can safely say that life has gotten better. We don't die at 25 anymore."

There was another long pause, before the former Pharaoh spoke, this time of the view instead: "It's magical. All the lights... "

"It's the same things just looked at from afar. Besides, you've flown before."

"Perspective is important. Sometimes it's good to look at things from afar."

"Well, enjoy that then. We're almost home so I'm landing soon."

Most of Kaiba's staff had gone home for the night, very few actually lived permanently inside the mansion and even then he allowed his staff some sleep, so no one was there to greet them once they arrived, besides the quiet dark mansion. Kaiba took his guest to his bedroom and dug around his wardrobe until he found some unopened packs of socks that were much too large for his opponent, but were at least not soaking wet. He wrapped him in a thin blanket and went to find ice from the kitchen for the swelling on Atem's face. It might have been a little late for that, but he figured it wouldn't hurt either. 

When he returned to his bedroom he found Atem watching television lying on his bed, comfortable: "Making yourself at home?"

Atem actually look embarrassed: "I apologize, I thought -," 

"It's fine. Enjoy your dumb cooking show. Oh and, put this on your bruised face and maybe we can make sure Yugi has a smaller heart attack rather than a big one."

Atem sighed: "I worry my partner far too much. He's going to be upset with me."

"It's Yugi, he'll forgive you in ten seconds," Kaiba thought, sitting into a chair behind his computer, a chair he was slowly beginning to hate as he spent far too many hours a day sitting in it. Still, there was no helping it. He opened every window he had had open before he left, he could have gone back to his game room and just carried on there, but he told himself someone needed to keep an eye on Atem so he wouldn't do anything stupid. It certainly wasn't that he enjoyed his rival's company, that him simply being there watching television relaxed him a bit, that he was gathering up the courage to take him up on his offer to help. 

"How's it going with the blackmailer?" 

"Not - excellently," he admitted. 

"Still nothing I can do?"

Kaiba held back a smile, this was just the question he needed to hear: "Well, if you're that tiresome about it, I did think of something."

Atem practically jumped out of the bed: "Great! What is it?"

"Well, I've done just about - " he was cut off by Atem. 

"Hey, forgive me, but Yugi's here. Can you have someone open the door?"

Kaiba sighed: "Sure I'll go. My staff's all asleep," annoyed he marched over to the large front door. He met up with Mokuba halfway there, who seemed to be on the phone with Yugi, apparently he had called. Kaiba, having longer legs and a faster stride, reached the door first, pulled it open and stared down at the spiky haired duelist. 

"Kaiba-kun!" Yugi bowed in front of him, something that almost rubbed Kaiba the wrong way. He was never one for polite social niceties, not outside business situations anyway: "I apologize for the interruption. Thank you for going to get Atem. We're sorry to be so much trouble." It took some serious concentration, but Kaiba felt proud that he had understood every word. 

"Hmph," he grunted in response: "Come!" Yugi followed Kaiba to his bedroom, as did Mokuba, who reminded his brother that he still hadn't told him what had happened to Atem and what they had talked about on the helicopter. 

"Yes, I'll tell you right away."

"Wow, Kaiba-kun! Your Japanese is _amazing_!" Yugi exclaimed with such enthusiasm Kaiba seriously wondered if he was being mocked. He said nothing, just glared. His Japanese was far from amazing. He still would have preferred to keep his mouth shut at all times, because of how strong his accent sounded, even to his own ear. So being complimented on something he was already self-conscious about and he knew he sucked at, having more attention brought to it, hurt his pride and almost insulted him. 

"It's a sensitive subject, maybe don't bring it up," he heard Mokuba whisper. Well, he wasn't completely sure, but context clues gave away the few words he couldn't understand. 

"I can - hear you!" the hesitation, the pause while he looked for a word was infuriating and it added a touch of rage to his tone that only served to make Yugi more flustered. 

"I didn't mean anything bad by it. It was a compliment," he said, quiet and apologetic. His good spirits returned the moment he saw Atem, he practically threw himself at the man in a mixture of relief, happiness and worry that was clear on his face even if no audible words were spoken between the two. Yugi's face was such a ridiculously open book, Kaiba could hear every word even without hearing them as Yugi caressed his partner's bruised face gently and wrapped himself around him, eyes soft and filled with warmth. Atem's eyes were much the same. The two loved each other so blatantly and completely it almost hurt to look at. What a weakness for everyone to exploit and take advantage of, anyone who wanted to hurt one would only have to hurt the other and the pain inflicted on them would be times greater than any they could inflict by hurting their intended target. Kaiba knew what that was like. He had a weakness somewhat similar, although their love was likely different, but he could not not care for his brother even if it meant having one vulnerability everyone constantly took advantage of. 

_No more though. You can never care for more than one person. One is already too many._ he told himself. 

Atem's eyes met with his as he hugged Yugi, catching him off guard. The deep reddish irises felt like they could bore into his soul, it felt as if Atem could reach into his head and read his thoughts as well, so he locked them away and straightened his face, making it void of any emotion as he scoffed, this time speaking Ancient Egyptian: "Could you two be any more obnoxiously caring?"

Atem smiled a quiet smile, Kaiba saw a knowing taunt there. _You want this too, don't you? What we have? You wish the world wasn't constantly out to get you, so you could let people in, don't you?_ He wasn't sure if he imagined it or not. His rival knew him a too well. 

Yugi spoke instead of Atem, Atem likely having translated: "We'll get out of your way in a moment, Kaiba-kun. We're sorry, we've been so much trouble."

"Hmph. It's late. Stay," Kaiba ordered: "I'll go make tea," he said, taking long strides towards his kitchen, driven by the very same irritation that had been haunting him the entire night. Mokuba followed, unfazed by any of is rude snappy comments as usual: "You still haven't told me what happened to Atem."

"I haven't had the chance!" Kaiba snapped. He sighed and lowered his voice as he got out the tea and the teaset from one of the cupboards: "It's - complicated. I need to write it down. I don't know the words."

Mokuba hummed merrily and sat on top of one of the kitchen counters: "It's okay. I've got time."

"I don't. I need to - um - I need to - do things."

Mokuba got out a pen and a paper, that he still carried, either out of habit or because he know there were still times they needed it. _You need to find who's blackmailing you?_

Kaiba looked over: "Yes. That."

Mokuba smiled, swinging his legs as he watched his brother make tea, seeming oddly content.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, just - I like that I can guess your thoughts."

It would have been a lie to say Kaiba didn't like that too, so he said nothing at all. He had however, made so much noise it had woken one of his kitchen staff, Yuna. Kaiba wasn't even aware she was in the mansion until she heard her speak and saw a woman dressed in a nightgown standing by his kitchen door: "Seto-sama. What are you doing?" she asked. She had a soft quiet voice and long pale hair that currently fell on her face. She reminded Kaiba of a certain lover of Priest Seto and it made him ache a bit inside. He pushed a feeling away. This woman was not Kisara and he was not Priest Seto. He really needed to get these sort of feelings in check, so they wouldn't be able to assault him at random times. He also needed some way to explain the whole affair to Mokuba. It felt like he was hiding some pretty important information from his brother and he didn't even want to hide it. It was just hard to explain, but the longer he waited to explain it, the harder it got to find the right moment.

"I'm making tea," he thought that was obvious.

"You could have woken me, I would have made it," she offered, her voice all hesitant. Some days it really rubbed Kaiba the wrong way the way she still hovered around him despite having had worked for him for months. 

"I didn't know you were in."

"Oh... Mokuba-sama said I could..."

"You can. I just didn't know you were." There were staff rooms all over the West wing that could be used, but aside from security no one was expected to stay overnight regularly. It was more of a relic from the time servants lived within the household. Kaiba however, liked his privacy. The house had tons of staff during the daytime and that was fine, but at night he wanted it to be just him and Mokuba. Some people would have been uneasy, alone in a huge house. He wasn't.

Kaiba dug in the kitchen cupboards until he found a few unopened packs of biscuits, another jar of Nutella, gummies, potato chips and other snacks, as he threw them on the tray Yuna stepped in, picking it up for him. Kaiba felt a bit weird trailing after his maid, but he knew that if he'd tell Yuna to stop and give him the tray she would get so flustered she'd drop the whole thing. Kaiba wasn't sure if it was his scary presence or if Yuna got so flustered with everyone, but she had a sort of nervousness to her that had caused her to make a mess quite a few times. On some days it irritated Kaiba enough that he had seriously considered firing her, but Yuna also had the sort of sincere friendly kind openness to her personality that made it really unlikely she'd turn around and try and kidnap Mokuba or stab Kaiba in the back and Kaiba had learned to seriously appreciate that in an employee. Of course there was always the small chance that Yuna was an exceptional actress. Kaiba knew better than to trust anyone fully. 

He soon learned that Yuna's ability to get flustered over virtually anything likely had nothing to do with him as she stepped inside and placed the tray on the small nightstand next to Kaiba's bed: "Atem-sama! Muto-sama! I had no idea Seto-sama had guests!" she said, while blushing as if two guys sitting on a bed was the most scandalous thing she had ever laid eyes on. Even with his now limited knowledge of the Japanese language Kaiba could tell Yugi had never been called Muto-sama in his life and had no idea what to do with that. 

"My - um - Atem got a bit lost and Kaiba-kun was helpful enough to go and get him," Yugi explained.

"Oh. Is Atem-sama still quite new to Domino City?"

Atem seemed to have picked up on what was being asked, because he replied: "Yes."

"Oh, where are you from?" Yuna asked curiously and Kaiba wondered if she was going to stay and chat. It was nearly 2 o'clock in the morning and he still had so much to do it seemed like he was going to have to pull another all nighter if they carried on like this. He decided to ignore the scene. Instead, he poured himself a cup of tea and went and sat behind his computer to write a letter to Mokuba to explain what had happened with Atem. His brother had also joined them in the bedroom and he was eagerly reading over Kaiba's shoulder the moment he started writing, or rather, for the most part still, copy-pasting.

"From Egypt," Kaiba heard Atem reply, sounding glad, maybe because he was now part of a conversation he could uphold. He turned to Kaiba a moment later speaking Ancient Egyptian: "Kaiba, you didn't have to wake your maid to make us tea."

"I didn't wake her. Well, I guess I did, but not on purpose. I wasn't even aware she was in."

"Can Seto-sama speak Egyptian!?" Yuna exclaimed, sounding terribly impressed. 

"Yes. He's very good at it," Atem complimented and it actually took Kaiba a bit of effort not to laugh, Mokuba didn't manage quite as well as him and Kaiba heard him snort behind him. 

"It must be very hard! It sounds very complicated," Yuna thought, her tone filled with wonder, but it also had a motherly edge to it.

"I think Japanese is much harder," Atem admitted. 

"Agreed," Kaiba put in and wondered if he was giving something away he shouldn't with that. Surely one could tell how hard a language might be to study even if it was their native tongue and they spoke it fluently. Yeah. Yuna wouldn't read too much into his comment. 

"Did Seto-sama come and visit you in Egypt?"

Kaiba actually looked over to Atem to see his reaction, Atem glanced over to Yugi, possibly for a translation no one in the room could hear, before he smiled just a tiniest bit and said: "Yes, he... took me back to Japan with me?" Another glance at Yugi, to see if he had it right: "With him. Because I wanted to come and - live here."

" _Oh, how romantic_!" Yuna exclaimed and Kaiba choked on his tea. 

" _Yuna_!" the slightest raising of his voice made the woman straighten herself and blush bright pink: "Yes, Seto-sama?!"

"That will be all," Kaiba said calmly.

"Yes, Seto-sama. Of course. I'm so terribly sorry, Seto-sama, Atem-sama, Muto Yugi-sama, have a wonderful evening - , " Yuna's rambling was cut off by the sound they could all hear coming from somewhere outside in the halls. It was a cry of a small child, calling out for his mother. For the shortest, stupidest nano-second Kaiba wondered if his mansion was haunted. The next second Yuna was flying out of the door: "Hodoka-kun! Mummy told you never to leave your room while we're here."

Kaiba raised an eyebrow, looked around, Atem and Yugi looked understandably as confused as he did, but Mokuba looked, if not embarrassed then at least like he was in on whatever was going on. Deciding he would get more straight answers from his maid than from his sneaky younger brother Kaiba stood and stepped out into the hallway: "Yuna, who is this?"

Yuna, who looked terribly embarrassed and like she had been caught doing something terrible (but really she often looked like that) instantly turned to face her employer: "This is my son, Hodoka-kun, Seto-sama." 

"Why is he _here_?"

Yuna was actually stuttering now: "M-Mokuba-sama s-said that we could..."

Kaiba sighed: “ _Mokuba_!" 

Mokuba was already standing in the doorway between the corridor and his brother's room. He walked over and wrote on a notepad as he spoke as a pre-caution, but the lighting in the corridor was so bad Kaiba could hardly see: "I told Yuna she and her son can stay here while she's having trouble at home."

"What kind of trouble are you having?" he asked Yuna, his tone might have been too sharp, because Yuna looked, against all odds and reason, even more flustered. 

"It's nothing, Kaiba-sama!"

"Then why are you here with your -" he made a gesture towards the little boy hiding behind his mother while he thought of a very mundane word he regardless didn't use much. She had just used it recently though, he recalled: "son."

"We can leave right away!" 

" _Nii-sama_..." Mokuba pleaded. 

"It's fine. You can stay," Kaiba sighed. He didn't have time for this. He had his hands full. There was the blackmailer, as well as the matter of needing to delete evidence of Atem beating up a few guys. He simply could not think about a third problem right now. 

" _Really_?! Thank you so much, Seto-sama!"

Kaiba hummed, waved her off and headed back to his bedroom with Mokuba following. Before he got there he turned back once more: "Yuna?!"

"Yes, Seto-sama?!"

"Could you prepare a room for Atem and Yugi, please?"

"Oh... Yes, Seto-sama. Of course, Seto-sama!" 

"She's kitchen staff, Nii-sama," Mokuba reminded, as they once again, entered his bedroom. 

"If she lives here... how long have they stayed here?"

"Like a week." 

"A week?! There's been a child here all week and I haven't noticed!?" 

"It's a big mansion and you were busy. Hodoka-kun is really quiet too. I think his father, Yuna's husband, really isn't that good to them. At all."

"That's why she's here? Because he... ummm..." once again lacking the word Kaiba simply punched his fist against an open palm, hoping he got his point across. 

"Yeah," Mokuba agreed quietly: "Based on what she told me, it's what I've gathered. She says it's her own fault, but I really can't see how that could ever be."

Either Atem's understanding of the Japanese language was much better than his speaking skills, very likely, or Yugi had translated everything that had been said, even more likely, but it seemed that Atem had gotten plans of his own: "Kaiba, do you know where her husband lives?" 

It only took one look into his rival's eyes to know what Atem was planning: "You are not going over to Yuna's husband's house to duel him. Or beat the everliving crap out of him. Whichever you were thinking of, you are not doing it."

"We must help her! She was so sweet and nice! If her husband is really violent towards her we have to help her. We can't just ignore it."

Kaiba sighed: "There is a vast world between ignoring a problem and breaking into someone's house to duel them."

Atem scoffed: "I doubt he's worthy of a duel."

"Then to beat them up. My point still stands. Either way, I'll deal with it. I have people at my disposal who can make a compelling argument."

"You'll threaten him?" Atem asked, sounding not at all like he minded the option.

"Or simply make him an offer that will make him want to permanently leave the country. It doesn't even have to be threatening, but I think first I need to speak with Yuna to make sure I don't go off based on gossip," suppressing another sigh Kaiba felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. It wasn't a novel feeling and he was used to feeling it almost constantly to some degree or another, but today just seemed to be piling one thing on to the other on to the other and he could practically _feel_ the mountain of tasks weighing him down. 

_I want to scream into a pillow. Or just scream at someone, really. Screaming would be good,_ he thought as he frustratedly copy-pasted together the last of a message regarding what had happened to Atem's face, although, at this point Mokuba was already more curious about the conversation that had just taken place, asking to know what that was all about.

"Ask Yugi," Kaiba ordered and thankfully Yugi was more than happy to take up his interpretative duties once more and explain everything once Atem had, presumably, explained things telepathically. Kaiba was only half-listening to them talk, mostly focused on trying to find Atem on the security camera footage of the local train stations. He did eventually find it after a good hour of tracing Atem's steps through the cameras: "Wow, you didn't think to maybe wave at the cameras?" Kaiba asked voice heavy with sarcasm: "You've framed yourself perfectly in the shot and everything so why stop there?"  
  
"I had other things to worry about," Atem yawned, not taking the bait.

"Go to bed. It's late," Yugi was already practically sleeping against Atem as it was. 

"Didn't you need my help with something?"

Kaiba, pinching the bridge of his nose, turned to face his rival: "The video they sent. I've looked at the file and the e-mail from every angle I could think of and while I refuse to lose their little game I think I may have to wait for their next move until I can think of a winning strategy."

"You're going to let them publish it," Atem surmised. 

"Possibly. First, I'm going to have to look through the video itself. See if there are any details that may give away the identity of our culprit, I doubt there will be, but I like to explore every possibility."

Atem nodded: "What do you want me to do?"

Kaiba considered, thorn between what felt like would be a humiliating request and its possible benefits. He decided the benefits weren't guaranteed and the humiliation was, so he said: "Nothing. Just go to bed."

Atem sighed: " _Kaiba_."

"Fine. Send Yugi to bed at least. I'm not doing this with our current audience, but if you want you can look the thing through too. Although I doubt you would notice anything that I would miss."

Yugi and Mokuba were sent to retire for the night, or at least they left the room, Kaiba didn't actually care what they did, and as soon as he finished doctoring the security camera footage he handed Atem a laptop with the video file he had received and turned to open the cursed thing in his own computer: "Are you sure you can do this? You look half-asleep already."

Atem rubbed his face to wake himself up and nodded: "I'm fine."

Kaiba reached under his desk, where he stored a large box of energy drinks for these types of occasions (meaning when he needed to work late not when he watch bizarre blackmail content with his rival) and handed a can to Atem: "Drink this. It will make it easier to stay awake," he said and took another can himself as if wanting to set an example. 

"It's sweet," Atem commented thoughtfully, he sounded neither pleased nor like he minded the flavour.

The young CEO simply hummed in reply, put on his headphones and undertook the strange task of trying to distance himself as much as possible from the video that featured a man that looked uncannily like him, engaging in ways with the man right next to him he had never seriously considered, while also trying to pay attention to every little detail that might give something away regarding the identity of the maker of the video. To say it was a difficult task, would have been an understatement, his mind wondered to all sorts of useless and ridiculous thoughts regarding whether or not anyone would actually find this pleasing to look at, whether he should or whether he would if the characters of the video and the main premise remained largely the same, but the situations presented would be different. He also found he had to fight the constant active urge to close the video.

He glanced over to his rival and found that he had to commend his pokerface. If Atem had any conflicting feelings regarding their viewing material he hid them perfectly. His face was a blank canvas of concentration and he managed to eat potato chips with Nutella as if he were watching any old video found online. Atem caught Kaiba glancing at him and remove one earbud to hear if there was something to be said.

"If you see something unrealistic, something that may help drive home a point of this being a fake that would also be - helpful."

"You mean other than my voice being completely off?" Atem asked, shoving another Nutella dipped potato chip into his mouth. 

Kaiba nodded, finding it impossible to further ignore his rival's bizarre snack choice or the fact that he could eat at all: "How can you eat while we're watching this? And eat _that_ , of all things."

"Oh it's divine," Atem argued: "you should try it and I _am_ concentrating." 

"Not what I mean and no, thank you," but Atem had already dipped a chip in the jar of Nutella and Kaiba supposed he only had himself to blame for bringing the subject up, so he took what was being offered. He had to admit it wasn't as bad as he had thought. It definitely wasn't good either. 

Atem shrugged: "I guess I've seen so many I've become kind of numb to it. Although this one does feel odd to look at all things considered. And the fact we're in the same room. You're not really the one to talk, your pokerface is perfect."

Kaiba hummed: "I guess it's just that. We both just have good pokerfaces," he took another sip of his Red Bull and reluctantly hit spacebar. He could feel Atem staring at him as he did and as if the whole situation wasn't already one of the most uncomfortable ones Kaiba had ever lived through, that just made it worse: " _What_?"

Atem shook his head, Kaiba could tell from the corner of his eye: "Nothing. I wondered, seeing as we both just admitted to hiding our true thoughts, I wondered what you're thinking about." 

"We're not starting this conversation Atem," Kaiba said seriously. That might possibly have been the only thing to make the situation even worse than it already was. 

"Of course not. I know better than to think you'd want to."

"Good, then why bring it up?" Kaiba decided he wasn't able to talk and concentrate at the same time anyway, so he hit the spacebar again to look at Atem while they had this conversation.

"You asked I suppose." 

Kaiba hummed, shrugged and turned back to his screen. The whole thing was a pointless exercise in self-torture. The video, of course, as he had figured, contained no clues at all. None that he could see or hear at least. He tried to see if he could match video "Atem's" voice to anyone using the vast databases and technology at his disposal, but he quickly found that the voice had been created by someone who created mods, samples and bases to be used in the Duel Links system, who likely had nothing to do with the whole affair. The creator had hundreds of works, most of which seemed to have been downloaded thousands of times, but no other had seemed to make it into this video. He was chasing empty wind once more.

"Anything?" he asked, certain Atem would tell him if there was, but asked anyway.

"Aside from my voice and things I don't know or can vouch for such as what you look like naked, no. There are some physical differences between the model and me, birth marks, small scars and such, but I assume you knew that. It tells us nothing of our culprit."

"Hmmm. Nor does it help us. My own physical appearance has some rather notable differences, but I'm not getting naked in front of a camera to prove a fakeness of a video."

Atem looked curious at that, but thankfully made no attempts to press the matter further: "If it would help I'd be more than willing to speak publicly to prove my voice is nothing like that." 

"This is my own mess to sort," Kaiba said coolly, trying to calm his rather violently beating heart as he had, for a brief second, thought Atem was going to say he would be more than happy to get naked in front of a camera. It was getting too late. 

"One that involves me."

"I suppose. We'll see. My current plan is to have them release it and then prove that it's fake and that there is nothing easier than to create an illusion which everyone would think is true, as well as to admit that my last public appearance was just that. An illusion. It means I'll have to entirely rid myself of my accent before I do this, which might be the most difficult part. Although, I would have thought that people would already know that Duel Links can create perfect illusions, I proved that when I demonstrated the system."

Atem squirmed a bit: "I suppose I need to prepare my friends for this. I already told Yugi, but others I suppose."

"You shouldn't worry too much. I doubt they will run clips in any news shows, if anything they'll take a tame screenshot to show. Daytime television isn't in the habit of broadcasting porn."

"Are you okay with this? You were rather passionately against anyone seeing this just this afternoon." 

"Life has taught me to come in terms with my current situation and move forward to get out of that situation as fast as possible. It is of course a humiliation I won't forgive. I will have my revenge. One worse they could even imagine."

"I must thread carefully or you might find another person to call an arch-rival."

Atem's tone clearly indicated he meant his statement as a light-hearted joke, yet it insulted Kaiba: "Don't insult me, yourself or - " his eyes flickered to the scene on the screen and he couldn't help but feel that what he was going to say was going to sound like it had a different connotation in their current context: "what is between us. You have my respect. This - joke of a person, does not deserve such high compliments. Even if they are adequate enough at hiding their identity so that I cannot unveil it in a single day. Which, again, only proves their cowardice."

Atem looked sincerely touched by the compliment, so much so that the look on his face almost touched the depths of Seto's carefully guarded soul as well. He tried to shoo the feeling away.

"In that last statement I must agree with you. Are you certain it is not someone who knows us? From the letter - I felt that they might know more than they let on, their accusation, the way they sounded, did make me think of Ishizu's accusations towards me. They sounded like - perhaps they know what you have done. With me. That you have brought me back. Perhaps them accusing you of playing God, alluded to that and not to you creating a virtual reality?"

Seto took a moment to consider, looking at the e-mail from that perspective: "What did ishizu accuse you of?"

"She claimed this situation is not right and unnatural. She even went so far as to offer assisting me in finding my way back to the afterlife."

Kaiba felt his whole inside grow icy cold, a dread, one so strong he rarely felt the likes of. He tried not to wonder too hard why. Because Atem was his rival. Because without him he would have no one to push him, to challenge him, surely that was all: "You're of course intelligent enough not to be swayed by such bullshit," he tried to make it sound more like a statement than a question, but he knew Atem could let all kinds of utter garbage into his head if it came from his so-called "friends". Some friends they were if they advocated for his death. 

"I told her off. Regardless of whether or not this life is unnatural, I am selfish enough to want to live."

"Our desire to survive is the basis for most things," Kaiba said as he felt his hand curl into a fist: "And no life is ever unnatural, much as I freely admit that I could, under the right circumstance, commit a murder and not feel that bad about it, to deny someone a right to live I still find wrong, especially when they have done nothing to earn having that taken from them."

Atem seemed sincerely relieved by this little rant as he smiled a fond soft smile, looking straight at Kaiba. Kaiba wished he'd stop. It got harder and harder to smother the resulting warmth. He couldn't afford to care more. He already cared too much. 

"Thank you, Kaiba. It was exactly what I needed to hear."

Instead of acknowledging that Kaiba went back to their original topic matter: "I think you're creating connections in your head that aren't there. There are an extremely limited number of people who know the true extent of what I did and that would mean that this is an inside job done by someone in my company, not an impossibility and it would certainly add new meanings to the video that was sent. I originally thought the blackmailer sought to embarrass me and that they may have been stupid enough to think that we're in a relationship and try and cause discord in my love life, " he scoffed: "however if your suggestion were to be true they might simply seek to humiliate me and make me greatly uncomfortable. Perhaps they even think in their naiveté that they can bring forth some childhood experiences that they would think I find traumatic, but there is hardly anyone still working at Kaiba Corporation, who worked here during my father's time so..." he had been thinking out aloud, more than anything and now Atem looked at him, horrified. 

"What do you mean by...?"

Kaiba waved him off: "My stepfather often took to physically restraining me. I find the notion - not the least bit _sexy_ ," he practically spat the word: "But I doubt anyone actually knows that about me anymore who works here. Or in fact maybe at all. They just wanted to show me in a light as humiliating as possible and thought tying me down and having me under you was a good way to go about that," Kaiba was deliberately speaking faster so that Atem could not voice the sorry and condolences that he so clearly felt. He disliked bareing himself so as it was. It was becoming more and more challenging to keep his expression an indifferent mask. Still, he could see what Atem was about to say, so he felt the need to nip his condolences in the bud: "Do not pity me." 

"I should do no such thing," Atem said, managing to almost sound offended despite the fact that Kaiba could see, in his opinion, the very annoying compassion, in his eyes: "I am enraged by the fact someone should treat you in such a way."

Kaiba decided, that although slightly hypocritical, Atem's response at least was acceptable: "Well, for one, I don't dwell on the past. For another, he's dead. I live, so I win," he smirked at the sentiment his own stepfather had voiced. There seemed to be a good chance that they were both going to dwell on the matter they had just discussed, so Kaiba quickly directed the topic back on it's original course: "Either way, I don't think your theory is an impossibility, but it surely seems a bit unlikely. We will see how they play their next move. Could all just be a tasteless prank," he doubted it, he seriously doubted it.

"I wish it could be. My friends would get over it. Laugh it off. No harm would come." 

Kaiba hummed: "I do think no one besides tabloids would care, it's simply humiliating and I am not the one to let myself be humiliated."

"What will you do if there is no next step on their part?"

"Dig deeper, I suppose. Once they have released it any time constraint vanishes. With enough time, resources and effort, I think I could find anyone."

Atem nodded: "Do you really have nothing to go by?"

"There isn't much. I tracked the IP address to a cafe in Paris, but that may not be accurate."

"So outside of Japan?"

"Yes, but as I said, I find it unlikely I have the correct location."

Atem thought it over, but seemed to have nothing to add. He surprised Kaiba by asking: "Would you care to carry on where we left off in Crystal Lands?" 

Even a persisting ache in his back or the fact that Kaiba was, despite the Red Bull, quite willing to fall face first into a pillow and sleep, could not dull his excitement at the proposal. Nothing could and seeing that they could likely achieve nothing else by analyzing the video further (he decidedly shut up any small voice in his head that suggested that he may have missed a detail by not focusing enough), he eagerly accepted the proposal. Atem, obviously not having forgotten that he had been the victor in their previous match, insisted that Kaiba owned him a team-up. The latter was unsure how well it would go, given that they had no one with any healing skills in their party of two, but he refused to admit that he was hesitant of their success. Being confident in one's victory was already half the victory. 

It seemed that every party that they were matched up against either consisted of a team of rookies, who had either leveled up by some miraculous way that did not include learning the game or they were simply so talentless that they would never acquire any skills regardless of how much they played. Slaughter was - fun at the lack of a better word to describe it, both of them found increasingly absurd and lavish ways to kill their pathetic opponents. This constant need to one up the other and show off their superiority got Kaiba nearly killed once and if Atem had not swiftly murdered his assailant as well as the five other remaining guys with his ridiculously powerful magical blast, Kaiba was sure he would have died. He didn't however and so all was well, as they ended on a clean score remaining undefeated. 

"I must say this is more difficult than teaming with Yugi," Atem commented. 

"Really? I find everyone so incompetent that we have no choice but to make things harder for ourselves to have any challenge at all," he drawled, but he had fun. Eventually, satisfied with themselves and not at all because Kaiba saw an avatar of a guy on a white unicorn that he knew to be Pegasus and neither of them wanted to deal with Pegasus for the moment, they moved on to other games, stopping and going to bed seemed to be on neither's mind and Kaiba insisted that he had had enough of team ups and wanted to do something competitive. 

It was hours and games later, each of which was played with a similar enthusiasm, fierce passion and rivalry they usually reserved for dueling, that Kaiba heard a door opening behind them. He paid it no mind and Atem didn't look away from the screen either, but he did speak: "Yugi tells me we should go home in a few hours."

"Nonsense it's in the middle of the night," Kaiba scoffed. 

"Actually, it's seven in the morning." 

As both of their characters reached finish line with Atem narrowly winning, Kaiba looked behind him to face Yugi: "Why would you wake up at seven if you didn't have to?" Hoping to hide the fact that he had completely lost track of time by snapping at his guest. Indeed, the concept of time itself seemed to have momentarily stopped existing as the two had gone from game to game, both evenly eager to beat the other. 

"I woke up and wondered where Atem was," a very sleepy looking Muto admitted: "Are you guys not tired? You've been up all night."

Kaiba wished Yugi hadn't asked, because now that he had, he was suddenly very aware of the fact that he was exhausted. In the passing hours it had not once come to his attention, but the moment they had stopped playing a game of any sort, he suddenly felt like he could lose consciousness there and then. He had also, it appeared, been unaware that sometime during the night the former Pharaoh had decided the best way to game was lying so that he was leaning against his rival. Kaiba could not find the energy to mind in the slightest. 

"What do you think? Should we have a break and slee - ," Atem groaned: "Yugi says I can't sleep here or I'll sleep until the late afternoon." 

"Is he your boyfriend or your mother?" 

Atem sighed: "He's trying to be polite."

"You can sleep however long you like. What do I care anyways if I'm also unconscious?"

Atem seemed to pass this message on to Yugi, who then turned to Kaiba for conformation: "Are you really okay with this, Kaiba-kun? You've done so much for us already!"

Kaiba scoffed, never one for needless politeness or overflowing gratitude: "It's fine," he assured, deciding he was too tired to try and form a more complex sentence in Japanese. He then turned to Atem: "Throw me a pillow from my bed, I might have a nap here."

"You can't be _that_ tired, you were fine moments ago," Atem argued. He stood, stretched, looking like a large cat and clearly enjoying doing so, wiped his clothes clean from crumbs and pieces of sugar. It was only now that Kaiba noticed that they were surrounded by empty cans, jars and bags of candy. Atem reached out his hand to help Kaiba up. The other man took his hand, standing next to him a moment later. Atem's hand was warm and soft as Kaiba held it, momentarily having forgotten what he was supposed to do. 

"Kaiba?"

"Mmm?" 

"Everything okay?" 

"Fine. Of course," he rubbed his eyes with his other hand that was not holding on to Atem's, trying to prove that he wasn't seconds away from falling asleep. Atem smiled, it was the same kind of warm fond smile Kaiba had seen before, but something about it still managed to bother him: " _What_?" 

"Nothing, nothing at all."

"It is something. You sound - amused. You're laughing at me," he accused. 

"Not at all. I admire you. Your dedication. I didn't even notice you were this tired." 

"To be fair, neither did I."

Atem was still smiling, but Kaiba decided that he just looked happy and maybe he wasn't making fun of him after all. They stood there for another long moment, before Atem guided Kaiba few steps to the right, onto his bed. It only took laying his head down on a pillow for him to fall asleep. 

He was disappointed to find his manor void of Yugi and Atem when he woke. According to Mokuba, who looked smug for reasons Kaiba did not know, they had left hours ago. Still, what else should he have expected? There was no reason for them to stay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always struggle with the era this is in technology wise. DSOD is supposed to take place 6 months after the original series, but all of their technology feels ridiculously modern. So I have struggled with how modern I should write the technology in this fic for ages. This is not made easier by the fact that the advancements in technology in this world are different from our own. I think these struggles may have been evident in this chapter, but I hope not overly so.
> 
> Also, this chapter got loong. I'm sorry for the massive wait, a lot of things decided to happen and I decided to let them happen, because a) sometimes things just do happen and b) I liked them. Also, Yuna, who if you've noticed has been around for a while now, decided to have a character.
> 
> I'll try and make the next chapters more reasonable in length, for all of our sanity.


	11. An arcade fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New warnings added for some quite graphic violence!  
> Atem's POV

"I promise you, Anzu, it's all fake," Atem said, his warm friendly laughter filling Yugi's small attic area as he video-chatted with their mutual friend, who was currently thousands of miles away across the ocean. Yugi himself was seated next to Atem, translating everything Atem either couldn't understand or couldn't say himself. 

"Still, it's so awful, who would do such a thing?" Atem heard Anzu wonder. 

_Are you sure you're okay with this? he asked Yugi._ It was awkward still, this translating arrangement. It was a bit clumsy and Atem still worried about Yugi's feelings. 

_It's fine. You don't have to ask me every time. If by some weird miracle I stop being okay with it for whatever reason, I'll tell you._

_Okay._

"Someone -, " Atem begun. _Is trying to blackmail Kaiba._

"Is trying to blackmail Kaiba-kun," Yugi finished. 

" _Really_? How do you know? I haven't read anything about it. Did Kaiba tell you himself?" Atem was rather proud of himself for understanding every single thing that came out of Anzu's mouth, however when he tried to open his own mouth to reply he had no words at all. It was infuriating. Kaiba was already speaking in full sentences and there he was, not able to carry a very casual conversation with his friend, needing Yugi for everything.

Either Yugi could feel he was upset about that or knew him well enough to read his facial expressions, because he spent some thoughts over. _Don't worry about it. Japanese is hard. You'll get it in the end. What were you trying to say?_

Atem smiled a bit. _Thanks, partner. I was there when he got the e-email._

"I was - Atem was there when he got the e-mail."

Anzu's face turned so red it was clearly visible even with the terrible video quality: "What?! _No way! No way! Did he watch the thing when you were there?_!" 

Atem found her facial expressions and gasps rather amusing, so he smirked: "Yes. We watched it together." 

_See? That was perfect._ Yugi encouraged him via their mental link. 

"No way! That's - that must have been really embarrassing for both of you. I'm really sorry." 

Atem shrugged: "Yes. A little bit, but - ," _with how much porn Yugi and Jounounchi make me sit through I'm pretty used to anything._

Now it was Yugi's turn to blush. _I'm not saying that!_

_It would be me saying it!_

Atem sighed: "I've watched different kinds of porn together with Jounouchi and Yugi. Everything - I don't care." 

Anzu laughed. Yugi hit Atem with a pillow and left the room entirely: "That's not very nice Yugi!" Anzu yelled after him and then something further that Atem didn't understand and Yugi refused to translate for him. 

_I think you're managing this fine on your own._ Yugi thought at him and went downstairs. 

Anzu, seemingly unfazed by Yugi's departure, looked back over at Atem: "What about Kaiba? How did he react?"

"He was - embarrassed... and angry," there were more things Atem would have liked to have said, but he didn't know how to say them. Like the fact that Kaiba had promised to find whoever might be responsible for this. 

Anzu said something else, but Atem could not for the life of him figure it out. 

"Sorry. What?"

Anzu repeated herself, slower and clearer, but Atem knew he wouldn't understand what she was saying even if she had repeated it a third time. It was the worst thing about language learning, when someone repeated something time and time again and you could do nothing but stare back apologetically. It filled you with a certain kind of weird dread. Part of Atem wanted to call Kaiba to ask for help. Whenever Yugi wasn't around he had the urge to turn to his rival, but he managed to keep it at bay pretty well. There was this feeling of loneliness. He wondered if Kaiba too felt this kind of loneliness. Of being cut away from the world. Unlikely. His Japanese was already so good. He had an accent Atem supposed, but he could speak quite fluently when he put his mind to it. 

"I'm sorry, Anzu. I don't understand." 

Anzu smiled, an apologetic sweet smile that regardless made Atem feel worse. He heard another voice in the background, yelling, but what, he couldn't figure out. Anzu yelled something back, but without having any context Atem couldn't figure out what she said either. There was a third voice. Then a blonde girl appeared on the screen, nearly pushing Anzu out of the frame. She said something, something that should have, logically, been a hello, but Atem found with a sense of dread he couldn't even understand that. Anzu yelled something back, blushing as she did, but Atem still had no idea what was going on. 

He reached out to Yugi instead. _Partner, are you really mad at me?_

_Of course not. I just wish you didn't say that in front of Anzu._

_But she knows. Didn't you and Jounouchi exchange videos at school?_

_I know, but..._

_I'm sorry. Can you come back here? Please? I have no idea what's going on._ Another girl had appeared and she too was speaking in words Atem couldn't understand. He thought he heard words like "video" and "Seto Kaiba", but he wasn't even sure of that, because he couldn't make sense of any of the other words. By the time Yugi re-appeared Atem was almost on the verge of panic.

_I can't understand anything these people are saying!_

As Yugi came to sit next to him on the bed once again, the girls' attention was brought back to the screen and they stopped arguing (for even without understanding a word Atem could tell they were arguing!)

_That's because they're speaking English. You've heard English before, surely._

Atem sighed a sigh of relief and felt stupid. Of course it was another language. It was so obvious. He should have realized right away. Anzu was in America. They didn't speak Japanese there. 

_"Konnichi wa!"_ one of the girls cried out, bowing a little. Even Atem could tell it didn't sound remotely right. Her friend, the other girl Atem didn't know, shoved her lightly and said something else Atem didn't understand. 

_Do you understand any of this?_ he asked Yugi.

 _A little, but my English isn't that perfect either._ Instead, Yugi asked Anzu what was going on. Anzu then introduced them to her two roommates, Alice and Mia. Both girls waved at the camera. Then one of them, the blonde named Mia, smirked a mischievous smile and asked something that made Yugi blush, so Atem assumed he understood. Anzu started screaming at them again. It was something about him and Kaiba. 

_She wanted to know what it was like having sex with the hottest man in Japan. Anzu is explaining that you didn't and the video is fake... Um, I think Mia says she's seen it and there's no way it's fake. They are arguing over it._

After a bit of shouting Anzu finally turned back to the camera and apologized to Yugi and Atem: "I'm so sorry, you guys. My roommates are idiots. I think I better be off now. I'll call you boys later! Bye!" she smiled, waved and practically slammed the laptop shut. Atem and Yugi sat in silence for a little bit, not even communicating via their telepathic link. 

Yugi spoke first. _I'm sorry, this must be so weird for you._

_Yeah. I knew people were going to watch it, but that's different from knowing there's this specific girl in America, who has seen a video of me and Kaiba doing it and it's not even really me and Kaiba. It's weird._

Yugi sighed and hugged Atem. _Sorry. The reporters are back at full force too, but don't worry. None of our friends will tell them anything, I'm sure._

 _I'm not worried. Kaiba will soon make a public appearance and set things straight._ Atem assured and so they waited for Kaiba's video announcement that they were sure would come. 

Except none came. Kaiba made no public announcement like he had said he would. Atem wondered if it was because he couldn't shake his accent or if there was another reason, but he was a little annoyed that Kaiba didn't even call to let him know. Their place was surrounded by curious reporters day and night, going out for food was troublesome enough, not to mention an outing with friends. Not that Atem minded being inside, playing games with Yugi when he could. He wanted to help at the store too, but as soon as he tried to work there, reporters would come barging in once more, taking pictures and asking questions even if they received no reply. They were least interested in Yugi's grandfather so he ended up working most shifts. Atem felt terrible, he was such a burden on the Muto family. Everyone assured him it was fine, but he couldn't shake the feeling. It also connected to why he hadn't already called Kaiba and demanded to know what he was thinking. This whole mess was his fault. If he hadn't gone shopping with everyone, the photographers wouldn't have been able to take these photos of them and this whole thing wouldn't have happened. Furthermore, if he hadn't come back at all...

As Atem was thinking these sorts of dark thoughts he had thought he was alone. but as he found himself being wrapped up in a warm hug he realized Yugi was there. Of course he was. Yugi was always there when he needed it most. Yugi was perfect. 

_Never think anything like that. Ever. I wouldn't trade having you back for anything. Being locked up here is better than having all the world's freedom without you. I'm sure Kaiba feels the same way. And all our friends too._

_I wasn't aware my thoughts were so obvious._ Atem admitted. _I didn't direct them at you specifically._

_You weren't hiding them either so it was easy to peak in. (I hope that's okay!)_

_I thought I was alone. But you are always welcome inside my head, partner._ They were lying next to each other in a loose embrace as Atem turned their TV and gaming systems on. 

_I still think you should call Kaiba if you want to. He'll be happy to hear from you._ Yugi thought. 

_I know you mean well, partner, but Kaiba is my rival. I have you and my friends. That's enough. More than enough. It's great. It's selfish of me to want more of Kaiba and I will only get hurt allowing myself to daydream of it. It is better not to fan those fantasies._ Atem had told Yugi about his feelings. Of course he had. It had practically been the first thing he had admitted at Kaiba's mansion when the man himself had left to make them tea. None of their other friends knew though. Yugi had reacted in the most brilliant encouraging way, but Atem wasn't sure their other friends would be the same. He was especially worried about Anzu and Jounounchi. For entirely different reasons. 

_Kaiba is just clumsy when it comes to feelings. He may not have realized how he feels, but he feels it. I'm sure. Atem, he literally took your hand and held on to it even as he fell asleep. You stood there for like a minute happily holding hands! He came to bring you back from the dead, he came to look for you in the dead of night with his helicopter, he has sacrificed his life for yours multiple times. When you lost a duel to another man he was so jealous he shouted on the phone for a solid minute! He doesn't believe in any of the friendship stuff, yet when we're not around and you're about to lose hope he will come and bring you back up. That is more than rivalry. If it's not love I'm not sure what is._

_The hand-holding doesn't count. I'm pretty sure he wasn't even aware of it. He was only half-conscious at the time._

_Because he spent the night up playing games with you._

_That is part of our rivalry!_

_Yes, staying up all night leaning against one another and eating snacks. Sounds like two people who really can't stand each other. Are we rivals too then?_

Atem sighed. _When we're in a battle up against each other of course we are._ But he could see Yugi's point. Still, he didn't want to get too hopeful. It was hard enough not to. He had to keep his feelings in check. Kaiba had spent ages denying their friendship. Him wanting a relationship with Atem was more impossible than all the impossible things Atem had done in his life. And he had done many. So, instead of thinking about that, he turned on _Crystal Lands._

_Have you added him as friends on it? You know his username, you guys played together._

_No, of course not. Kaiba's very vocal about not wanting to be friends always. Now shut up and sign in on another computer so we could party._ After the raging success he and Kaiba had had Atem and Yugi had taken to partying between just the two of them too when their other friends weren't available. 

Yugi smiled and got up, but wouldn't drop the topic. _Social media and games are different. All your friends there aren't actually your friends. Just people you know._

_So what's the point of adding him then?_

_You'd be friends._

Atem smirked and shook his head. _You're making no sense._ he said as he navigated his way through the menus until he found the BlueEyedPrinceKai and sent him a friend request. The simple act made his heart beat faster and he felt rather stupid for it. 

_Hey, look! Bakura's online! Let's meet up!_ Yugi said once he was done and so they made their way to Bakura, who was also a Master of White Magic just like Yugi, wearing magnificent white robes that went well with this hairstyle that looked similar to his real hair. The three of them made their merry way towards the Dark Forest for to gather some supplies they needed for a quest they had all been planning to do for a while. They were busy picking berries and chatting, via headsets, the conversation being casual enough for even Atem to follow, when another Master of White Magic with a magnificent white dragon came their way and wrote in the text chat. 

_Atem?_

Atem, who could read his own name as well as most things that were somewhat related to games and gaming and write some basic things was nonetheless very nervous about having to write. 

_Yes_?

 _It's Mokuba._ The stranger replied and a moment later a little window popped up informing Atem that Mokuba wanted to join their party. 

_No one could possibly have anything against that, right?_

Yugi was pretty certain no one would mind Mokuba, but they asked Bakura nonetheless, who, as expected, happily agreed to this new addition to their party. 

"Hey, how are you guys doing?!" Mokuba's cheerful voice reached Atem's ears. He sounded happy, which was good, meant that everything was fine with the Kaibas most likely. He was burning to ask about the older Kaiba brother, but wondered if he would be giving anything away by asking. After all, Mokuba had had the same suspicions Yugi had. Had Yugi...

_Have you told Mokuba?_

_No, you didn't seem to want to tell anyone and he hasn't explicitly asked, so I haven't._

Atem nodded. He had to dread carefully. "We're fine. There are a lot - umm..."

"Photographers around our house?" Yugi suggested.

"Yes. That. Thank you."

"Yeah, sorry about that, you guys," Mokuba began. He said something else, but Atem couldn't keep up so he turned to Yugi for translations.

_He said he hasn't been able to go outside without a disguise._

Atem hummed. Wearing a disguise hadn't really occurred to him, but he supposed Mokuba had been in this game for much longer than he had. Not that public attention was that new to either Yugi or Atem. Between Atem being a former Pharaoh and Yugi and him having won Battle City and Duelist Kingdom, both were used to copious amounts of public attention. And while paparazzi's hadn't existed while Atem was king, he was used to them from his time in Yugi's body as well. Still, back then it had been well-meaning young duelists and occasional friendly interviews, now the press had a maliciousness that they had not experienced before. Atem had never been in a situation where everyone wanted to know about his sex life the moment he tried to set a foot outside. 

"I thought... Kaiba...," he sighed. This was hopeless. Some sentences he could say and understand fine. Others felt like they were stuck in his throat. 

"You know what?" Mokuba said: "I'll get him. He promised to play with me anyways. Does anyone mind?" No one, of course, once again minded and so their whole group was treated to Mokuba shouting across the room: _"Nii-sama! You promised you'd come to play! Atem and Yugi are here too!"_

While Kaiba was busy finishing up whatever needed to and logging in, Yugi filled Mokuba in on their quest plans, which Mokuba was very glad to join in on, even as they all agreed the party was terribly unbalanced: "Nii-sama will balance us out," Mokuba decided just as the said dragon tamer arrived on one of his epic beasts. Atem couldn't be sure, but he had a feeling Kaiba was hugely uncomfortable with finding himself in a voice chat with five other people, after some awkward hellos and Bakura asking Kaiba how he was and Kaiba replying nothing of any actual substance there was another very awkward pause. 

Atem, deciding things could hardly get more awkward, decided to cut to the chase: "I thought you were going to make a public announcement saying the video is fake," he said, in Ancient Egyptian, not caring for the moment if no one understood. He wanted to be understood and speak freely. 

"I did plan on it, but decided there was no point. The news hardly effected my stock prices. The tabloids are the only ones who care."

"You have to be joking. I haven't been able to leave Yugi's house in days." 

"It will blow over soon enough. Few more days at most. As soon as another celebrity does something stupid. I don't care what the tabloids think of me and... I have this feeling that whoever my blackmailer is, they wanted a strong reaction from me. This, me seemingly not caring, will upset them more than anything." 

Yugi piped in: "Are you guys just going to speak Ancient Egyptian now?"

"Atem started it," Kaiba scoffed, in Japanese so perfect it made Atem a bit jealous. 

From thereon their attention drifted to the game, although Atem did tell Yugi what he and Kaiba had been discussing, but mostly they all focused on the quest for a while. Kaiba complaining so much about how he could do this all on his own that Atem had to threaten to throw him out of the party. Unfortunately Kaiba didn't seem too saddened by that outlook, but he was left in their group nonethe ess and they all defeated the Epic Beast at the end of the quest without too much trouble, after which Bakura announced he had errands to run and logged off, leaving the three magicians and dragon tamer on their own devices: "Honestly, it's such a children's game. No challenge at all unless you try and do things meant for 10 people on your own," Kaiba complained. 

"Shut up, you had fun and you know it," Atem replied, happy that he could form a sentence and not sound terribly uncertain as he did.

He heard his rival scoff: "...Have you really not left your house in days?"

"No, but Yugi and I have games here, so it's okay. If you feel that's the best..."

"Where would you want to go?"

"The arcade, maybe. We went a while ago with... everyone. I'd want to - go to a concert? Maybe a club."

Kaiba scoffed once again: "There is nothing interesting in the Domino arcade. I have played all the notable games and have high scores on all of them. Clubbing's just - ridiculous." 

"Is that so? I thought KAI was probably you. However, I have some bad news about your high scores. You'll find that quite a few have been beaten." 

Kaiba was silent for a second, before replying: "Well, then I'll just have to beat whoever dared to beat me again," Atem could hear the smirk in Kaiba's voice: "I'm sending a car to pick you up."

"Sounds good. I doubt you'll beat me though." _Yugi, do you want to go with me and Kaiba?_ Atem asked Yugi while Kaiba announced that he was sure to beat him. 

_Are you kidding? This is the perfect opportunity for you two to go and have some fun together. Alone._

_But wouldn't you rather -?  
_

_Go! I'm fine. We can spend a few hours apart._

That was really all the encouragement Atem needed. He got out of the bed to put on some clean clothes, fix his hair and do his make up, the latter of which Yugi helped him with. They were both perfectly capable of doing their own, but they also both enjoyed helping one another. 

_Are you sure you don't want to come with_? Atem asked one more time as Kaiba's car pulled up at the back door of the card game shop. 

_Not unless you're scared of being alone with him._

Atem laughed. Of course he wasn't scared. Still, he pulled his precious partner up against him once more and held him in a hug, before leaving. The car that had pulled up at the door was different from the long dark limousines Kaiba usually used, but as the door was opened for him, he jumped in without thinking, pulling the door shut after him: "This isn't your usual car," he noted, but as he turned to face the driver he realized it wasn't Kaiba at all. The driver had brown eyes and long nearly white hair and he was wearing a black oversized hoodie. Atem let out a surprised shout and pulled at the door handle, but the mysterious stranger had him by the wrist: "Where are you going?!" he demanded.

"Let me go!" Atem demanded, pulling himself free. 

"Did you forget something?" Only then did Atem realize the voice was - exactly like Kaiba's. It also occurred to Atem how strange it was that the man in the car had spoken to him in Ancient Egyptian, a language supposedly only two people on Earth spoke: " _Kaiba_?!" 

"Of course. Who did you expect?!"

"You look - _nothing,_ like yourself, your _eyes_ are different colour. How do you _do_ that? What magic is this?"

"Oh come on. You've been around. It's these - things," Kaiba then, in a rather disturbing course of events stuck one finger in his eye and revealed that he could remove his brown iris, revealing a blue one underneath. 

"I don't think I have. Or maybe I have and I haven't noticed," Atem shrugged, unsure if he should feel bad about not knowing something that was apparently common knowledge. 

"Well, it's me. I took a different car, because having a huge limousine usually draws attention. As does the way I usually look. Hence the disguise."

"You still look striking," Atem mused: "Although completely different."

Kaiba clearly had no idea what to do with the compliment and as it left Atem's mouth he too felt rather awkward about it: "Well, looking different is the point," the young famous CEO said and took off. They sat in an awkward silence that only the purr of Kaiba's car engine managed to soothe a bit. Atem would have liked listening to the radio, but he felt strangely hesitant to request for some music and even more hesitant to try and press any buttons in Kaiba's fancy car.

 _You should have come along._ Atem thought at his partner, but Yugi was already too far to hear him.

"I hope you're not waiting for me to hold the conversation. I'm not the one to chit-chat and I don't think I could fill this whole car ride with comments on how I'm going to beat you."

Atem laughed at that. He assumed it was a joke. Kaiba had a dry sense of humour and even when he joked he sounded slightly put off so it was hard to tell: "Really? I think it's one of those topics you can go on endlessly about. How's it going? Any luck with your blackmailer?" he wondered if maybe Kaiba just wanted to relax and forget about the whole thing, but he didn't know what else to ask. Having casual conversations with the man was new to him too.

"No. The longer the silence drags the more confused I get. Maybe it really was some teen with excellent computer skills and way too much time on their hands." 

"It's a bit odd how you don't consider yourself a teen. But then again I suppose I don't feel like one either. Back in my day I was considered an adult."

"I've had an eventful life," Kaiba simply said. 

Atem had nothing to say to that so he simply hummed and looked around him: "Do you mind if I turn on the radio?"

Kaiba sighed: "No, but the thing has a stupid identification system, so you can't actually. I thought it was very cool and high-tech when I bought the car, but frankly it's proving to be a tad annoying," he said as he turned on the radio: "I mean having to use voice recognition to turn on a radio is just plain annoying." 

A voice echoed throughout the car salon _Voice recognition required._ The way the voice sounded gave Atem pause. He glanced over to Kaiba, who was decidedly avoiding eye-contact as he spoke: "Kaiba Seto."

There was a sort of happy _da-ting!_ sound that let them know that Kaiba's voice was deemed acceptable enough to allow the radio to play. Soft piano music filled the car, but the atmosphere was anything but soothing: "Kaiba... is - is that _my voice?_ "

"Yes. The original voice it came with was bothering me and - ," he sighed: "I was bored and wanted to see if I could change it successfully. I used the voice I made for your AI duelist in the Duel Links system, because I already had it and then I forgot about it, because I don't drive this car around a lot."

"Well, it speaks better Japanese than I do," Atem joked awkwardly, because really, what were you supposed to say when your rival/crush had a car that sounded like you? Kaiba seemed to be finding the whole situation just as awkward as he did, if not more so, his whole body was rigid, fingers turning white as he gripped the wheel and stared straight ahead, avoiding eye contact at all costs. Atem wondered if he was starting to regret all this, when his rival managed to say something through grit teeth. 

"What was that?"

"What kind of music do you like?"

"Oh. All sorts. I like the type of metal and hard rock music Yugi listens to, but I also like classical music. Both Western and Japanese. None of it is classical for me, none of it existed when I first lived. I have heard it before of course, when I lived with Yugi, I'm not completely oblivious to all the modern things, but now is the first time I really get to enjoy these types of things, get to know them better. I like pop music too."

"I see your tastes in music are as refined as your tastes in food. Everything goes," Kaiba commented drily. 

Atem laughed: "Not quite. What about you? What kind of music you like?"

"Oh I have terrible taste in music. According to Mokuba at least I have the tastes of a 40-year old man. I like visual kei bands, I suppose, but you follow these for the visual as much as you do for the music. I also really like The Beatles."

Atem hummed: "Do you have any we could listen to hear?"

"No, I don't think so. I have quite a good collection at home."

"I suppose I could look it up online," Atem mused as they pulled up to the arcade. 

"Yes. Later. For now I'm going to beat your high score. If you did really beat mine." 

"Would I lie to you, Kaiba?" Atem teased.

As they made it to the arcade it was easy enough to find that Atem still stood at the top of several leaderboards. Seeing as no one had beaten Kaiba's high scores in months, Atem's, of course, had remained unbeaten too in the few days he hadn't visited: "I did the ones over there and there," Atem pointed: "And Yugi did the ones on the other side," he added casually. "We didn't manage all of them in one day." 

Kaiba looked so affronted Atem almost found it amusing: " _Yugi_? You mean to tell me _Yugi_ beat my high scores?"

"You really need to stop underestimating Yugi. He's the one who beat me while I had all three of the God Cards. He alone. Not you, not anyone else. He's the best duelist out of all of us and he's incredibly skilled at other games too," Atem said seriously. It was true. Yugi didn't boast about it constantly, didn't talk about how he was the best and everyone else sucked. He was modest, but in Atem's eyes he was still the best duelist there ever was. Kaiba said nothing at all to that. Atem thought he heard him scoff, but he couldn't be quite sure, he glanced over at Kaiba's face, but he was wearing a perfectly indifferent mask, so Atem couldn't tell what he was thinking. 

"Well, there was a figure in one of those crane games I wanted to win for my partner. I'll go check that out, before I return and beat you in the few games we didn't manage last time," he offered, teasing just a bit. He was already heading towards the said crane game, when he heard Kaiba speak. 

"Fine. And for the record, I don't think winning one duel necessarily makes him an inherently better duelist."

Atem smiled and decided to turn back to his rival, he could get the figure later, instead he went and stood by his Kaiba so they could talk without shouting over the arcade floor: "I don't think losing one duel inherently makes you a _worse_ duelist. You and I, for instance, I've always thought our skills were matched. I'm surprised to hear you say that though. What with how seriously you seem to take every defeat."

"It is precisely _why_ I take it so seriously. I know I'm as skilled as you, better, I _know_ , I _can_ beat you, it's not an impossibility, in fact it should be very possible, but somehow you always win and it's _frustrating_. I want to beat you, to win at Duel Monsters and every single game possible. It is my ultimate goal," even as they spoke quietly in the middle of an arcade, with sounds of gaming machines and people playing all around them, Atem could barely hear them. All he could hear was the passion in Kaiba's voice as he spoke, the determination, the sparkle of his clear blue eyes that spoke of his resolve. The tension was so high between them, you could cut it with a knife. Atem loved it. He smiled without even thinking about it: "I'm going to take the last two fighter games I didn't beat you at yet, while you try and beat me."

Kaiba didn't exactly smile so much as smirk, ever so lightly, but it managed to warm Atem's heart still: "Deal."

The two of them then took turns in playing what seemed to be an endless game night of beating each others' high scores. Indeed, by the time one of them had managed to beat the other's score at one or two games, they would find that their rival had done the same in another game and now they had to go back to beating their score at that game. The two would have likely been stuck in an infinite loop of trying to beat one other, both equally willing to neglect food and sleep, if it weren't for one thing: "I just realized there's a flaw in our current system," Atem noted. 

"And what would that be?" Kaiba asked, Atem thought he probably didn't even look away from the screen, but he couldn't tell for sure, seeing as he wasn't looking away from his either. 

"I will eventually run out of money to insert into these machines, but you likely won't."

Kaiba burst out laughing at that, he sounded a bit like he did when he was getting slightly manic in the middle of the duel and Atem wondered if he did just always sound like that when he laughed: "I can just give you the money. That's hardly a problem."

"I can't accept that, Kaiba. I already owe you far more than I would like." 

Atem could _hear_ Kaiba smirk: "Well, I guess then you'll just have to admit defeat."

" _Or_ , I'll come back the next time I have money and just beat all of your high scores again." 

"I suppose that's a possibility," Kaiba conceded.

Atem smirked, stood from behind the arcade machine where he had once again beaten his rival's high score and said: "Well, I'm done on this one. I'll use my last few hundreds to get my partner that figure." If Yugi was here, he could have easily gotten the figure himself, but as he had decided to give Kaiba and Atem some time to be by themselves, Atem thought the least he could do is bring hIm a little gift. Plus the figure might not be here the next time they visited. Unlike his and Kaiba's nearly unbeatable high scores that stood untouched for many months, claw machine prizes were quick to go. 

He noticed Kaiba standing next to him some time later. He was starting to get used to the ashen blonde hair. He couldn't have beaten all his high scores yet, surely? "Done so soon?"

"No, thought I'd - might see if there's actually anything good." 

"There are some keychains with your company logo."

"Yes, we gave them the permission to use them," Kaiba informed.

"There's also a noodle stopper with you. I was kind of tempted, but they've placed it so that it would be impossible to get. Fitting really," he said, glancing over to Kaiba for just a second, before inserting another 100 yen coin in the machine. His last one. He would get the figure he wanted. He knew he would. 

Kaiba hummed: "Gave permission for that too. Regretting some of these choices now... What do you mean it's fitting?" 

"Just you being untouchable and all."

A pause. "I could get it."

"You're on," Atem said and heard the unmistakeable sound of his rival inserting a coin. A moment later he had the figure he wanted for Yugi and turned to see how Kaiba was doing.

"You know, I'm pretty sure tilting the machine is cheating." 

"Well, if they're cheating - as you pointed out, there's no way to get it without cheating. If the other party is cheating you can too."

"I'm actually partial to that," Atem agreed. 

"Got it," Kaiba smirked and reached down to retrieve the noodle stopper.

"In just one go? That's - impressive. Even the tilt considered," Atem complimented as Kaiba handed him the box. He paused: "Oh. For me?"

Kaiba shrugged: "Well, I don't need it." Atem thought he looked slightly uncomfortable then. Awkward. _A present._ Atem thought. _For me. Kaiba always gets me presents. Oh, what if Yugi is right? What if he does like me? No. There's no way. Besides, there's a world of possibilities between him liking me romantically and not liking me at all. Maybe he just wants to be friends. Even if that sounds nothing like him. Everyone wants friends. Deep down._ Atem knew that friendship wasn't really the right term to describe their relationship, but rivalry wasn't all there was either. There was unmistakeable warmth there. Atem just didn't want to get his hopes up and later be disappointed. He looked up from the figure to look into his rival's eyes in hopes of figuring out how he felt. Kaiba still looked uncomfortable: "You don't have to keep it."

"No, I will. I like it. Thank you," Atem assured quickly, hoping that would help Kaiba relax a bit.

"Right. So what do -," Kaiba was cut off by someone calling Atem's name from the other side of the arcade.

Atem turned to see Otogi coming their way and much as he wanted to have this conversation with Kaiba, he was also happy to see his friend. They had only seen once since Atem's return and at the time Atem had not been able to understand any Japanese so it had been a bit awkward. Not that this might not turn out to be. Yugi wasn't here to translate at all, after all. Atem looked over at Kaiba, who looked highly annoyed and wondered if he could help with the translating. 

"Hey! So good to see you. How are you?"

"I'm good. I'm good. And you?" Atem asked, already terrified of what he would do once this simple Chapter-1-of-every-language-textbook-ever conversation was over and they'd get to actual talking.

"Your Japanese has gotten so good!" 

Atem laughed: "Not really," he said even as he was really happy with having understood everything so far. 

"Who's your friend?" Otogi asked, gesturing to Kaiba. Atem grinned at that, happy that he wasn't the only one who didn't instantly recognize Kaiba with the hair and his eyes being different colour. He still had no idea what these things were called and he had a feeling neither did Kaiba.

"Oh, that's just Kaiba."

Otogi frowned: "Kaiba? Not Seto Kaiba?"

"Yes, Seto Kaiba! He looks really different doesn't - " Atem never got to finish that sentence and for once it wasn't because he didn't know how to, but because seemingly out of nowhere Otogi punched Kaiba so hard that his head hit the glass of the claw machine he was standing in front of, the impact shattering the glass and throwing the machine over, figures and other prizes flying everywhere on the the floor. Atem's first emotion was just pure shock, which quickly morphed into confusion, which then, even quicker, flared into anger: "What are you doing?!"

Kaiba, who looked equally confused, was just about to get up, when Otogi punched him down again, before going to kick him repeatedly. He seemed to be fueled by some kind of pure unadulterated rage that Atem had never seen in the man as he kicked Kaiba time and time again. It confused him, but he wasn't just about to let Otogi beat the crap out of Kaiba, so Atem didn't even hesitate (he would later feel bad about this), before punching Otogi back, hard enough to knock the man down: "Stop it! What are you doing?! Why?!" he was too angry to try and think of any more coherent sentences. He had to keep himself back from lunging at the man again, from kicking him repeatedly just as he had kicked Kaiba moments ago. He was fuming with rage, feeling like he could off Otogi there and then if he didn't keep himself in check. _That's why I need Yugi._ he thought. 

Otogi actually replied something, but Atem was too angry to focus enough to be able to understand it. Maybe he wouldn't have understood anyway. Otogi was shouting and speaking very fast, so it was hard to make sense of what he was saying. Kaiba, who was getting back on his feet, seemed to be understanding some of it, because he asked a question. Otogi however, was clearly uninterested in replying to him and was going for another punch. Atem would not let that happen and punched him first, resulting in the two of them on the arcade floor, trying to throw punches at each other. 

"Stop it, we'll never figure out what's going on here if everyone keeps fighting," Kaiba said, this time in Ancient Egyptian, so Atem would understand. He sounded much too calm for Atem's liking, considering there was a river of blood flowing out of his nose. 

"If I let him go he will just keep on punching you!" Atem shouted back. 

"Let him come. I'm ready for him now. I can take him. The arcade staff is coming this way. We need to leave," Kaiba said, in Ancient Egyptian and then repeated his last sentiment in broken Japanese. Atem could tell he was struggling too, but he seemed to get his point across. Indeed there was a guy shouting, coming their way, the three men bolted out, momentarily acting in perfect unison. Once they were out on the street, having found a corner they thought the staff wouldn't find them from, it was time to find out what was going on. 

"What's going on?" Atem asked, forcing himself to be calm and keep himself from shouting or lounging himself at Otogi. Kaiba's nose was still bleeding and the run hadn't made it any better, his clothes were covered in his own blood and there were tiny shards of glass poking out of his skin here and there that he seemed to be determined to ignore in lieu of finding out what the fight was about. Atem had to keep himself from glancing at him. If he did his anger would flare again and he would punch the living daylights out of Otogi. 

Otogi was looking something up on his phone, taking rather a lot more time than Atem would have liked: "You haven't seen this?" he asked eventually, handing Atem his phone, a video displayed on the small screen. Atem hit play and watched, he could feel Kaiba coming to stand up behind him to see. 

The video showed a tilted frame, showing a pair of shoes, the angle and the framing clearly meant to give the impression that the video was filmed in secret. One pair of shoes clearly belonged to Kaiba, the other to a woman in heels. 

"Please, Kaiba-sama. I'm sorry," a weepy female voice begged.

"Why do you even work for this company if you can't manage to do a stack of copies without messing it up!?" Kaiba shouted. At least Atem thought that was what he said. The camera was now tilted very slightly upwards, revealing his hands, that waved around a stack of papers. 

"I'm sorry, Kaiba-sama. It's just one page. I'll do it again." A slap. A shout. The woman fell on the ground, her weepy crying face now in full view of the camera. Quiet terrified gasps could be heard from everyone in the background.

"It's just one page?! Just one page!? Do you think this is the way we do things around here?" The Kaiba in the video shouted something else, something Atem couldn't understand, but which sounded angry, before then proceeding to kick the woman, who was lying down, much in the same way Otogi had kicked Kaiba just moments ago. He punched the woman again and again and again, while she begged for mercy. Someone in the background asked him to stop too, but Kaiba only yelled at them to be quiet and possibly threatened them, before he continued to hit the woman. He pulled her up by the hair, before smashing her face against the tiles of the office floor repeatedly. Atem was sure the video was fake, but it was still hard to look at and he could now understand why Otogi was so angry. The video looked real and what Kaiba was doing to the woman was truly horrifying. Once he had beaten her to a pulp he simply walked away, leaving the woman lying there, bleeding, as the video ended. 

Atem handed the camera back to Otogi: "It's fake," he said, this being a sentence he was already well familiar with from all the conversations with Anzu and his friends. 

"No way," Otogi did not look the slightest bit convinced and that scared Atem. If his own friends couldn't be convinced, how would Kaiba ever manage to convince the world?

Kaiba curtly announced that he needed to leave. Atem followed without being prompted, Otogi tried to hold him back, but Atem pulled himself free. He looked back: "I'm sorry, but I believe in Kaiba. He would never do this," he said, before marching after his bleeding rival.

"Where are you going?!"

"Home. I need to deal with this." 

"Kaiba, you're bleeding. Are you even fit to drive?" 

"I'm fine," Kaiba announced. "I'm just bleeding from my nose and that has mostly stopped. I'm fine." 

"You are not fine, you were hit in the head so hard it _shattered glass_ , there are shards of glass poking out of your skin!" Kaiba didn't listen, he just marched over to his car, got inside and slammed the door shut, Atem pulled the passenger side door open and jumped in, Kaiba driving off, before he could even close the door. 

"What are you doing?" Kaiba asked, annoyed, but not quite shouting. 

"Coming with you of course. I'm not letting you go home like this. Besides, you brought me here, I can't get back on my own."

"I don't have time for this, Atem! I need to act _now_. I need to manage this." 

Atem looked at his rival and felt desperate, he wasn't bleeding anymore, but his face was still largely covered in blood, bruises would soon form on his face, his left eye was likely to be swollen shut, a piece of glass was still pocking out of his hand even as he gripped the wheel. Atem wasn't sure how he could just ignore it. It must have hurt. It hurt to look at. His fake hair had stayed on by some miracle, but that too looked messy and covered in blood: "Kaiba, _please_ , just stop at our place, we'll clean you up and make sure you really are okay. You can call for someone to drive you home, can you not?" he begged. Kaiba glanced over at him, for just a moment and Atem hoped that perhaps he was touched by the desperate tone in his voice. 

"I don't have time for your coddling, Atem. I'm fine."

"You are not fine!" Atem shouted, adjusting the rear view mirror, so Kaiba could get a glimpse of the state he was in: "Look at you! How will Mokuba feel if you walk in looking like that!? He'll have a hard attack!" 

That seemed to struck a chord: "Fine. I'll come over to clean up, but that's it. I don't have time to indulge you. I don't." 

Atem sighed, small victories were victories too, he supposed. 

"I'm surprised Mokuba hasn't called already. What is he thinking?! He should have called the moment the video was out." 

"Maybe he wanted you to have some time off, having fun," Atem figured that was the case. It was how Yugi felt after all. 

Kaiba just scoffed: "He should have told me immediately," he said, before swearing and pulling over. Atem saw him blinking multiple times: "What's wrong?" 

"Nothing. Vision's a little blurred. I'm fine. There's a plastic bag in the glove compartment, can you get that for me?"

"Sure, what for?" Atem asked, already getting the bag and opening it, watching Kaiba snatch it from him a moment later and emptying the contents of his stomach inside. It made Atem's stomach twist too. He reached over to save what was left to save of Kaiba's fake hair and get it out of the way, a tricky feat, but he managed. Once Kaiba had managed to settle his stomach he leaned back and closed his eyes, taking a few deep breaths. 

"Kaiba, maybe we should get you to a hospital."

"Nonsense. I just hit my head. I'll come over to yours, drink a glass of water, get myself cleaned up and go." 

"Hitting your head is pretty serious," Atem argued. 

"I'm fine. It's no big deal. Don't worry." After another deep breath Kaiba opened his eyes, tied a knot on the bag and neatly set it aside, before going back to driving. Atem felt like he had his heart in this throat and he wondered which Egyptian God he should pray towards if his aim was them not dying in a car crash.

Kaiba carried on pretending he was fine. Atem might have appreciated that in some other scenario.

"Well, at least we now know it's not someone in my company. If they wanted to leak footage of me being a ruthless terrible boss, they don't need to fabricate it. There's plenty to go around."

"None that terrible, I would think," Atem muttered. 

"No, obviously I wouldn't beat an employee to a pulp over a badly done copy, but don't you think it was a bit over the top?"

Atem shrugged: "Otogi seemed to believe it. It was very realistic." He had too, for a moment worried it might have been something real this time when the video started. 

"He's an idiot," Kaiba decided. 

"He's not," Atem argued: "He's my friend."

"One you just punched in the face."

"He was beating my other friend! It was a misunderstanding." 

Kaiba didn't reply, focused on driving or perhaps he simply had nothing to say, regardless, Atem let him focus. He was clearly having some trouble, despite his best pretense, so letting him focus was in both of their best interest. 

Atem could feel his bond with Yugi before he saw their house and in his immense relief he let his feelings overflow through their connection instantly. 

_Hey, how did it - Oh, god what happened, Other Me?! Are you okay?_

_I am. Kaiba is not. We got into a fight. There's another fake video._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might change things up, by not changing them up and do the next chapter from Atem's POV as well. I just didn't want to have a chapter that is too long. What did you think?  
> I bet there are typos. There always are. I do proof-read, I swear, but I always end up finding some as I re-read older chapters.  
> Also, Kaiba noodle stopper is a real thing. I've been tempted to get it a few times. Yugi's and Kaiba's music tastes are heavily influenced by the type of clothes they wear, even if the type of clothes you wear doesn't always correspond to the type of music you like. 
> 
> Comments are always insanely appreciated.


	12. Paint the stage red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Atem's POV

Atem thought he had sufficiently prepared Yugi for the state Kaiba was in via their telepathic link, as he had given him a brief rundown of the events that had transpired, but the look of shock and horror on Yugi's face as he saw the state Kaiba was in, who, was still, by the way, pretending all was fine, led him to conclude that he hadn't been through enough. It also led him to believe he had definitely been right to persuade Kaiba not to drive home on his own. 

His partner looked and felt mildly disappointed as he crossed his arms on his chest, standing at the back entrance of the Kame game shop: "I really can't let you guys out on your own, can I?" he spoke in Japanese, but Atem understood the sentiment.

_It wasn't our fault! It was a complete misunderstanding._

Kaiba didn't comment, simply moved to stride past Yugi at the door. Atem kept expecting him to collapse or faint or the like, but really, it took more than several well-placed punches to knock Seto Kaiba out: "Where's the bathroom?" he muttered, seemingly annoyed when he just found himself in the storage room. 

"Upstairs, I'll show you," Atem offered. 

_Can you get me some ice and a first aid kit?_

_The latter is in the cupboard of the small bathroom._ Yugi reminded. _Think I should call Mokuba too?_

 _Yeah, probably a good idea._ Atem thought as he was already guiding Kaiba upstairs. Him and Yugi were used to talking like this, simply using telepathy while on the opposite ends of the house. He directed Kaiba to the bathroom only to have the door slammed into his face. He replayed that mental image to Yugi. _Can't believe you thought he has a crush on me._

_I still do. How did your date -_

_It wasn't a date!_

_Go before Otogi showed up?_

Yugi joined him upstairs a moment later with an ice pack and a glass of water, both intended for Kaiba when he returned from the bathroom. Atem hoped he wouldn't just faint while he was there. He tried to keep an ear out, while he waited, going to sit on his bed while he did. 

_Kaiba got me a noodle stopper from the crane game. Crap! They had that Sakura-chan figure you wanted! And I actually got it for you and then I forgot it there while I was fighting Otogi. I'm so sorry!_

Yugi just smiled. Atem knew that he could never be mad about these types of things, but Atem still felt bad. Yugi, also known as the sweetest, kindest soul you'll ever meet, sat next to Atem and wrapped an arm around him. _It's okay. I appreciate the effort. You thought about me and that's what matters._

 _I should have thought harder!_ Atem groaned running his hand through his hair in frustration. 

_You had bigger problems._

Kaiba reappeared, having washed the blood off his face, he somehow looked even paler now than before. Or maybe he felt even worse. His eyes were back to their piercing blue shade, but he was still wearing the now hideously messy fake hair. He also had a towel wrapped around his hand. He looked at Yugi and Atem, a bit hazed, which worried Atem, before Kaiba bit out: "What are you so tormented about?"

"I forgot Yugi's figure at the arcade. Yours too." 

Kaiba rolled his eyes and came to sit down on Yugi's bed, which was opposite to Atem's, just a narrow space left in between, so that their knees were nearly touching. The attic really wasn't meant for two people and Kaiba looked almost comically out of proportion for the room. He seemed to be too big for it. Or rather the room was too small for his presence: "I wish I had your problems." his rival said and unwrapped the towel from around his hand: "I ruined some of Yugi's towels. The white one and the awful looking beige one, so I guess it's not much of a loss. Figured he liked the Dark Magician one best, so I spared it." 

Somehow it warmed Atem's heart to know that Kaiba had gone out of his way not to ruin the one towel that his most previous person (and he too, really) would like the best. It was small things like that, that Kaiba would do, that showed the kindness hidden deep within his heart. Things only he and Yugi seemed to notice. 

_Kaiba said he ruined some of your towels, not the Dark Magician one though._

Yugi smiled, got up and placed a hand on Kaiba's shoulder: "Don't worry about it," he said softly and handed Kaiba the ice pack. 

The other man just huffed: "I don't need your help," he grumbled, but still took it nonetheless and pressed it to his face.

 _I'm going to call Mokuba now._ Yugi thought, Atem wondered if he didn't want to say it out loud just in case Kaiba had any sort of objections to that plan as well. Atem himself went to the bathroom to get the first aid kit. He returned with it a moment later, sitting next to his rival, taking his hand in his gently. Predictably he was swatted away: "Kaiba...," Atem tried to put a hint of warning into his voice, although mostly he just sounded tired and he wasn't even sure what he would be warning Kaiba about. Not like he would throw him out or anything of the like. 

"I don't _need_ your help," the other man scoffed. "Just give me the bandages. I can wrap a wound myself!"

"I know you can. I don't doubt your abilities, I'm just trying to give you a hand." 

"I told you I don't need your help!"

"What harm is there in me doing this?!"

"I don't like to owe people favours."

"Well, okay, but you still owe me none. You brought me back from the dead. That counts as at least 200 small favours. Also, I wish we weren't keeping score, but I guess that's too much to ask." 

"We're rivals, of course we keep score," Kaiba almost sounded offended and for a moment Atem wondered if he _had_ offended him. He wouldn't have wanted to disrespect their rivalry. He respected nothing more. 

Atem sighed: "Could we - only do that when it comes to games?" Sometimes these stubborn aspects of Kaiba's personality were truly exhausting. 

Kaiba hummed, but if it was supposed to be a response of any sort to Atem's question, he certainly couldn't figure it out. Instead of bandaging his hand, which, although no longer actively bleeding, still looked bad, Kaiba started to use his other hand to take off his blond hair. Atem decided he would give bandaging his hand another go. This time his rival did not pull away and so Atem took to gently disinfecting his wound and wrapping his hand, taking care to be careful even if Kaiba never once winced or showed any sign of being in pain. 

"How do you live here?" Kaiba asked, voicing his question in such a tone that seemed to suggest Atem lived in an old run down shed in the middle of the forest with no food or fresh water: "The room is ridiculously tiny."

"It's meant for one person sure, but my partner is very gracious and never complains about it and it's much better than being stuck in a puzzle, so I can't complain."

"Just because things have gone from abhorrent to bad doesn't mean you're not allowed to complain. You shouldn't _settle_ ," he scoffed, somehow sounding offended once more.

"It's not bad and it's not _settling. C_ an I tell you a secret? I mean - I think Yugi knows this anyway, because it's very hard to keep a secret with the way things are, but, anyway - I don't want to leave this place. I know I should get a job, make some money and get a bigger place of my own, but I don't want to live on my own. I love living with Yugi in this small attic. It's fun and intimate and even if we are two very separate people, I still feel like I want to spend the rest of my life by his side," Atem looked at Kaiba wondering if he understood any of that. Their intense rivalry meant that they understood things about each other no one else did, but feelings of love and friendship weren't exactly Kaiba's preferred topics. 

His rival stared back with bright blue eyes, if not invested in what he was saying, then at least he was listening: "I still don't understand why can't you two just get a bigger place and live there together."

"Well, a) I can't afford that on a part-time job salary at a card shop and b) I'm not sure if Yugi would like to move somewhere together with me." 

" _You're not sure if Yugi would like to live with you_?" Kaiba repeated: "Atem, that is the single stupidest thing I have ever heard you say. And that includes all the times you've tried to convince me magic is real and friendship is the strongest power there is. You two hug like five times _in a minute._ I've never seen two people be any closer in my life. If I wasn't who I am, looking at you two might make me believe in true love or some crap like that. The point is, if Yugi doesn't want to live with you, I'll eat all three of my Blue Eyes White Dragons."

Atem stared: "That's a pretty bold claim."

"That's because I'm absolutely certain of it." Atem stared back at his rival. Now that he had pulled his blonde wig off his hair was sticking out in every direction, in a way that would have made a lesser man look ridiculous, but nothing ever made Seto Kaiba look ridiculous. He always looked proud and strong and amazing and Atem felt so fond of him in that moment it made his heart ache. Yugi wasn't the only person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. _What a terribly selfish thought._

Kaiba seemed to be having trouble figuring out Atem's thoughts, because he huffed: "What?"

Atem shook his head: "Nothing. Just thinking that Yugi and you have quite a bit in common after all. You both think that I am loved by the greatest people on this planet," he said fondly. Was that admitting too much? No, not really. Kaiba already knew Yugi and Mokuba thought they liked each other. Mokuba had told him a while ago. 

Kaiba raised an eyebrow and Atem continued, not letting him dwell on his words for too long: "That and your hair is sticking out now that you took your other hair off," he reached over to settle Kaiba's bangs in a more suitable state. His hair was unexpectedly soft. Atem wasn't sure why he expected it to be anything but. Logically he knew that despite Kaiba appearing to be all hard edges and corners, he was a living breathing person, of course his hair would be soft to the touch. Kaiba had gone completely still under Atem's touch: "Is your head all right? It broke glass."

"I'm fine," Kaiba brushed him aside: "Might be mildly concussed, I've had worse. I need my phone. I have to text Mokuba," he said and dug out his phone from his trouser pocket.

"Maybe I should have a look at your head, just in case," Atem suggested although he had little hope of Kaiba agreeing seeing as he had been so against anything else. If he wanted an excuse to touch Kaiba soft hair for a while longer he'd never admit it. 

"If it shuts you up, I suppose you can." 

That surprised Atem on several fronts. Firstly, because he hadn't expected Kaiba to agree and secondly, because he had thought their conversation had been rather pleasant. Still, he took what he could get and gingerly checked the state of Kaiba's head. He didn't get very far, because he was distracted by the sound of someone running up the stairs, a moment later the door flew open and a young girl threw herself at Kaiba. Even more surprisingly Kaiba hugged the young girl right back and started whispering reassurances to her: "It's okay. It's okay. How did you get here already? I just -..."

"Yugi called me," the young girl looked up and Atem finally recognized him. Mokuba was arguably wearing a better disguise than his older brother had. The way he had dressed, didn't actually look that feminine at all and Atem wondered why he had thought him a girl at all, but his look was so nondescript it was hard to describe in any way at all. If you saw him on the street you wouldn't look at him twice and even if you did it would have still been hard to say anything at all about him, he looked neither girly nor masculine. It was all neutrals. Black trousers and a blouse that anyone could wear, combined with the most generic looking black hairstyle, there was really nothing to say for it. 

"Mokuba!"

Mokuba smiled at Atem: "Hello, Atem. I'm sorry Nii-sama is being troublesome again."

"Not at all!" Atem argued: "I - I - ummm... like -," Atem closed his eyes and tried very hard not to groan out aloud at frustration: "Like spending time with you," Atem offered to Kaiba, in Ancient Egyptian.   
  
Kaiba then proceeded to translate Atem's sentiment in the most unimpressed tone possible, almost sounding offended: "Actually, scratch that, you're infuriating," Atem amended, earning a smirk. Were insults more complimentary in Kaiba's eyes than compliments or did he thought them insincere? Surely, he ought to know they weren't. 

Yugi joined them a moment later, commenting on how great Mokuba's disguise was, giving Atem the chance to enthusiastically agree without having to think of a way to phrase the compliment himself. Kaiba cut their entire conversation short, insisting first that they had no time for police chit-chat, and then, after Mokuba's numerous concerns, that he was fine. And so, with the younger Kaiba seemingly coming to terms with the fact that he could not convince his brother to take another moment to rest and lay down, they set to leave. However, just before Kaiba was about to leave he turned and addressed Yugi. His tone had the same demanding challenge as if he was about to insist that they duel. Yugi almost jumped at being addressed in such a tone. Kaiba asked Yugi something and it took Atem a while to process the question, but he thought he understood and if Yugi's facial expression, portraying confusion and mild shock was was anything to go by, Atem's largely guess-work based translation was correct and Kaiba had asked Yugi, if he'd like to live with Atem, if they had a bigger place just for themselves. 

"Yes, yes of course, but...," Yugi looked back at Atem and their room as if just noticing how small it was and almost looked embarrassed: "It's not really possible for us to get a bigger place right now." 

Yugi added a quiet _I'm sorry_ that only Atem could hear and it caused the other man to jump up from the bed. _No, no, no! It's fine! It's okay! I'm the one who should be sorry! I'm the one, who just - dropped out of the afterlife and started living here! This is your home! You don't have to apologize for not having space for someone, who you didn't expect you to be here._ He found himself next to Yugi, wrapping his arms around him in an instant. _I should be the one to apologize. I should just get my own place..._

 _No!_ Yugi looked almost frightened at the suggestion and Atem was honestly glad and comforted by the sincere objection. Yugi himself seemed startled by how strongly he had argued against the suggestion and started softening his words _I mean, unless you want to, of course you'd want to... all I'm saying is..._

Atem smiled _I don't want to. Of course it would be nice to have more spa -_

Kaiba got them off: "Stop it," he said, in Japanese: "It's annoying trying to follow a conversation I can not hear, but - " the rest of the sentence was lost to Atem, although he guessed Kaiba might have expressed that he found their whole argument stupid. He then said something else. Atem understood none of it, but Yugi obviously did, because, whatever it was, he started arguing against it heavily.

 _What did he say?_ Atem asked. 

_He said, and I quote, that there is an easy enough solution to this. He own sa lot of real-estate in Domino. He could just give us one of his properties._

"You want to give us a house!?" Atem cried out.

Kaiba looked away, as if disinterested, but Atem later wondered if he had found the admission embarrassing: "Actually, most of them are private apartments. I'm not sure I own a full house in the city center, but..."

"I wasn't complaining about it!" Atem said quickly, mortified it might have, even for a moment, seemed that way. 

"Good, I'll have the keys sent over."

"What?! No! Kaiba you can't just - get me a apartment." 

"Fine. You can just borrow it from me, you can live there as long as I have no need for it." 

Atem narrowed his eyes: "... Do you often have need for them?" 

Kaiba smirked: "Almost never."

"Kaiba, I can't accept such a lavish present." 

"It's not a present. I can't have my greatest rival live in a dump. I have a reputation to uphold," he looked around himself disapprovingly: "Besides, you're a King. You've been given presents far more lavish than this, I'm sure."

"I'm a King no more, Kaiba," Atem said seriously. Really, jewels were one thing and Atem could guess that Kaiba too, got some joy out of him being back among the living in his own way, but this, this was far too much and he needed to put his foot down. 

Kaiba gave him a piercing look and then, in just two long strides, which highlighted just how small the room they were in was, he stood face to face with Atem, who had to straighten himself and look upwards to meet his eyes. They were now so close that Atem could almost count his lashes, could see the darker specs of blue in his beautiful, almost unnaturally blue eyes. They stared back at each other, unwavering, neither willing to break the eye contact first, to look away first, to admit defeat. The air in the room was electric. Atem wondered if others felt it too: " _Yes, you are_ ," Kaiba said, each word highlighted, finely pronounced. He was clearly thinking he had presented a fact of the universe that could not be challenged. And in some ways, Atem knew, it was a compliment too. Then Kaiba turned on his heel, his massive coat brushing against Atem with the motion, although he refused to step back regardless. 

" _Mokuba_ ," Kaiba called his bother along, took his hand in his and went to leave at the door, only to turn back once more: "Seems I don't have to eat my Blue Eyes White Dragons after all," he said with just the tiniest hint of humour in his voice. And then he did finally leave for real. 

What _was that all about?_ Yugi asked and only then did Atem realize he must have not understood a word. It came with an odd realization that he wasn't the only one to feel cut off. Sure, his was different, in a way, but still. He explained everything that had transpired, leaving out Kaiba's comment about Yugi's place being a dump (it wasn't true anyway).

 _So - Kaiba just offered you a flat. He offered to give you a flat._ There was a bit of a teasing tone to his thoughts. 

Atem smiled, his smile soft and fond. Yugi was so sweet. Always thinking the best of people, always hopeful, always kind. Of course he would think that meant something, that Atem's feelings were reciprocated and if Atem was honest, he would have liked to believe that too. But it still seemed unlikely given what he knew of Kaiba. 

_Kaiba owns half the city, doesn't he? I'm sure this is not even a minor inconvenience for him._

_Atem, he can't be that oblivious to social cues. He offered you an apartment!_

_I know, but.._

_I think Kaiba's really kind at heart. He has a lot of walls built around him and he occasionally does unkind things, but -_

_I know! I think so too. Just -_ Atem sighed and threw himself on the bed. _He's going to be really busy. I bet this will just slip his mind anyway._

_Doesn't mean he didn't mean it. Do you - I mean I know our living arrangement isn't the fanciest..._

This led to another conversation, in which, Atem who was already feeling guilty about taking up so much space in Yugi's small room, now felt even guiltier that he had unintentionally made him feel bad for these circumstances they were living in, which in his eyes were better than anything he could hope for. He eagerly smothered any doubts Yugi might have had regarding whether or not he was happy or comfortable with their living arrangement and neither touched the topic again. 

Atem ended up being right about Kaiba being busy though. It was clear the young CEO had his hands full even without seeing him or hearing from him. The first video had interested nearly every tabloid in the country and while that had seemed like a big problem to deal with, in hindsight it was nothing. The accusations and the seemingly airtight video proof that one of the richest and most powerful man in Japan, even in the world in many ways, was physically abusing his female employees was a scandal that now flooded every media outlet, from morning shows to serious debate shows, magazines, newspapers and forums on the internet. The backlash was instant and ruthless. His actions were swiftly condemned and judged harshly by everyone, both these legitimately outraged at the horrid injustice they sincerely believed to have taken place and those, Kaiba's business rivals, who would have likely been unsympathetic to the victim had not condemning Kaiba's actions served their own interest. Suddenly, whatever horrible things they did looked minuscule in comparison to beating an employee to a pulp over getting a copy done wrong. 

To Yugi and Atem this was all more than painful to witness. It was agony to see each account, each article, each news piece, condemning their friend so harshly with falsified proof that no one even seemed to doubt. Other things Kaiba had done were dug up and put on display, only to paint him in a even grimmer light and their were things, dark things, in Kaiba's past, that one could not but agree were not right. Yet, despite the fact that it was all too painful to watch, to see unfold, Atem could not look away either. He had to see every show, watch every coverage, have Yugi read him every article, every news piece. 

_You should stop._ his partner eventually said. _You can not help him and this is just making you feel worse._ But Atem could not stop. If he could not help his rival, who was being treated so unjustly, if he could not stand by his side physically and watch him fight off a mob of accusations, he would be with him in spirit. He would think of him and cheer for him from the sidelines and if he felt Kaiba thought himself losing, he would find a way to reach him, to tell him that this was not the end of their story. It was what they always did. Once Yugi realized there was no stopping Atem he too stayed by his side, supported him. Stayed up with him and watched every video and commentary. Because that was the way they were. _You're the best._ Atem thought at Yugi. 

_You're right. We're Kaiba's friends, we must stand by his side._

There was one thing that started to crack the seemingly flawless illusion. No one at Kaiba Corporation would speak against Seto Kaiba. None of his employees would say to the media that their boss was violent towards his faithful staff. While some anonymous confessions were made, their legitimacy was doubtful and well-respected media outlets wouldn't find anyone to admit to have witnessed the scene that so many had seemingly witnessed in the video.

"Could it be they're just scared? Seto Kaiba is a powerful man." A news-anchor asked.

"Yes, yes. It is not surprising no one will go against a man who practically owns Domino City. We have the video. We have the proof," the interviewee replied. 

Atem smiled. They had nothing. Just an illusion. A terrifyingly realistic illusion, but an illusion nonetheless. 

Kaiba put together a press conference not 24-hours later, but Atem felt as if days had passed. It must have been the television event of the century, because everyone were gathered around. Honda and Otogi were here, along with Mai and Tea over the video feed, even Jounouchi had shown, all waiting for a show Kaiba was likely to put together for them.

Trying to convince everyone that Kaiba was, at least in this matter, entirely innocent had been difficult. It had been easy to believe that the sex tape was fake, because of the ludicrous nature of it and because no one but Yugi had any idea that Atem had any feelings for Kaiba. This, everyone felt, was more true to Kaiba's character. Atem didn't agree, but he could see why others felt this way and this was what made their, whoever Kaiba's opponent was, plan so perfectly cunning and terrifying. It fit in line with what people thought of Kaiba. Sure, it was shocking to all, but it did not seem entirely impossible. 

Convincing Jounouchi, who was always ready to believe worst of the man he already considered a right bastard had been especially difficult. At one point as Atem's rage and frustration within him grew (how could one of his dearest friends not believe him when he spoke the truth?), he felt Yugi tug at his arm, holding him back. _It's all right. He will come around. Calm yourself._

Atem took a deep breath. He did not want to get into another fist fight. He did not want to hurt his friends. He wanted to be better than that. They could talk this through. _Thank you._

Of course everyone believed him in the end, they had believed Yugi when he said their was an Ancient Pharaoh living inside his puzzle, so really believing that a video of Kaiba beating up a woman was faked was no stretch of the imagination at that point. By the time the press conference started Yugi and Atem had converted all of their friends and Atem could relax at least on that point. Although, as others ate nachos and popcorn he could hardly stand the sight of food. As Kaiba stepped into the podium, his stage, Yugi squeezed Atem's hand. _It will go all right. He will clear this_ up. 

Atem half-expected Kaiba to walk up to the podium, slam his hands down and simply say that the video was fake. He had used this route before and given that he still had sounded like a foreigner last time Atem had been with him less than 24-hours ago it would make sense he would want to talk as little as possible. Instead he gave a speech. Albeit a very short one. He spoke, in Japanese that was enviably perfect and on which everyone commented, making Atem feel like he wanted to disappear. He talked about how such actions, that they had seen in the video were entirely unacceptable. It almost felt like an apology, Atem thought that everyone who wouldn't know the video was fake would think that it was one. Yugi was making quick work translating every word Kaiba uttered. 

"S _uch actions, on my employees, who are faithful to me, would be entirely unforgivable."_ Yugi translated, Atem smirked, catching that Kaiba thought they would be acceptable, if the employee was a traitor. Kaiba then pulled out a sword. It came from seemingly nowhere and in one movement stabbed himself in the gut. Everyone in the room besides Atem himself gasped. Kaiba had just confirmed his suspicions, but it seemed no one else had yet caught on. The crowd in the small press conference room was screaming. The sound of hundreds of photos being taken could be heard, the quick flashes illuminated Kaiba's unmoving body. Finally, someone got on the stage, but as they touched Kaiba his unmoving body simply fell on the floor with a loud thud. 

"Poor Kaiba-kun!" Atem heard Anzu gasp. He could feel Yugi's worry, his fear as well as - guilt? Yes, of course. Yugi would feel guilty, for not helping Kaiba, for not reaching out more, for not having found a way to save him as he had saved Atem. Atem would have felt the same way himself, had he not believed that this was all part of his rival's plan. Despite his quilt and shock, Yugi continued to translate their friends' reactions for Atem. It had become so much of a habit for them now that he almost didn't seem to notice he was doing it. When they fell into it, it was easy.

" _Man, I can't believe this guy,_ " Jounuchi groaned.

" _Why won't they just cut the transmission off at this point_?" Otogi wondered: " _A man has died. It hardly seems respectful to broadcast his corpse to the nation_." Atem knew why they hadn't cut off the live feed. The show would go on. Surely it would. It had to. 

" _Leave him!_ " A strong voice echoed in the room. Atem smirked, his theory proven correct, as a second Seto Kaiba, a perfect duplicate of the first entered the room: "So...," he said, Atem understood some of what followed and the rest Yugi filled in. He had to admit that watching television and consume media with such fervent determination had massively expanded his vocabulary. " _What's the headline tomorrow? Seto Kaiba commits suicide on live television? Is that it?"_ he smirked. _"You all know I have the power to create these illusions. You've seen me do it before. You also know I share this power with the entire world. And yet, you see something and take it at face value."_

Atem was practically glued to the screen: " _Are you catching on or do I need to spell things out for you? The video is fake_ ," a still shot of the said video was projected behind Kaiba. His "corpse" or rather the very lifelike projection of it was still on stage, Kaiba ignored it so blatantly it was almost amusing. " _An impressive creation by an yet unknown - artist - if you will. The face of a woman, you see here,"_ the still zoomed into the face of the crying begging maiden: " _is most likely taken from our public website that includes pictures of our employees and lists their job descriptions. Allow me to introduce you to Misa Mikami. "_

A most shy looking small woman entered the stage, each small step more reluctant than the next as she approached the CEO she worked for. Every journalist in the room seemed to be taking photos of her, if the constant flashes of light were anything to go by. This only made her look even more scared, uncertain. 

" _If they're trying to paint Kaiba in a good light and make it seem his employees aren't scared of him, this really isn't doing it_ ," Jounouchi commented: " _She looks terrified of him_."

"She just has stage fright," Yugi said and Atem wondered if he was more eager to protect Kaiba's integrity now that he knew Atem had a crush on him. It was hard to tell. Yugi was such a kind heart, he was always willing and ready to believe in the kindness of everyone. "Doesn't mean Kaiba-kun beats him."

"My name is Misa Mikami," the woman spoke. That much Atem understood. Yugi translated the rest: " _And I'm here to tell you that Seto Kaiba-sama is the toughest, sternest, most difficult man to work for in Domino City._ " She stood there for a long moment letting an almost dramatic silence fall, before she added: " _But he has ever hurt me. Nor have I ever seen him hurt anyone else within the company. With the exception of those, who have tried to kill him_." 

Kaiba nodded, seemingly happy with the delivery: "Anything else?"

"Just one thing," she turned to face Kaiba, suddenly she held a gun in her hand, she raised it, Kaiba took a small step back: "Wh-," she shot him, dropping the gun in the next instant. Another body fell on the stage. The girl looked so startled, so upset, that Atem worried for the briefest of moments if maybe this wasn't all part of the show. However, another Kaiba appeared on the stage a moment later. Atem smirked. Kaiba was ever so dramatic. Jounouchi groaned and said something that Yugi didn't translate and he didn't understand. Something very rude, he deduced. Mikami seemed sincerely relived to see Kaiba. Had she too been fooled by the illusion too for a moment?

Atem understood little of what Kaiba said, but Yugi was there, so it was like he understood. _He says: "I don't like repeating myself. However it seemed necessary. Do you all see it now? I have given you all the chance to create a perfect world. A world of your liking. However, this also opens possibilities for many interpretations. This means you have to learn to - differentiate between those two worlds."_

 _Can you hear an accent in his voice?_ Atem asked Yugi. 

_I think I can slightly, but I doubt anyone else would ever notice unless they knew what to look for._

Atem nodded and watched Kaiba compliment Mikami's performance. The woman blushed scarlet, but Kaiba paid him no more mind. He said something else, something short and yet incomprehensible to Atem. He then left the stage without answering any questions, which the reporters shouted at him.

Atem smiled, he thought Kaiba's performance a perfect way to convince everyone the video was fake. And it was. Along with the assurances from his employees, including the poor Misa Mikami, whom the press seemed to follow relentlessly as if to be doubly-certain that she was a real woman, soon it was agreed upon that the video had been fake. Indeed, now that it was public knowledge the video was fake many were eager to point out that it hadn't really looked that realistic at all. That there were several errors in the background if you looked hard enough and some people seemed to be copy-pasted. (It was hard to tell really, if they were, all the men in the firm wore identical clothes anyways.)

However when Atem had thought that would be the end of Kaiba's trouble and the man would be able to return to what passed for normal life for him, he had been wrong. The discourse had merely changed. No one was discussing Kaiba's cruelty, his fit for his position as the Kaiba Corporation's CEO. Now the question suddenly revolved around whether or not Solid Vision System should be allowed to exist. At first Atem had found the suggestion so ludicrous he expected it to dismissed in a moment. Yet it wasn't. There were those, who sincerely thought that Kaiba's amazing, genial system should be destroyed. Should be discontinued. That the fact that we could no longer differentiate between what was real and what was not was simply too dangerous a precedent. 

Those against the system pointed out that now people could always claim that any piece of video or photo evidence, no matter how real it looked, was a creation of the Solid Vision System. Furthermore, even eye witness accounts could be dismissed by the accused simply saying: "All they saw was a realistic hologram." It wasn't like Atem didn't understand where they were coming from. He did. But the suggestion was still ludicrous. By that logic, because you could doctor videos and photos, should those things not be allowed to exist either? 

This debate consumed the nation and Atem as well. There were those, who thought that technology needs to advance and that we could not simply ban new technologies. Who believed Solid Vision system to be a great advancement in technology and those, who were fiercely against it. Argued it needed to be banned. Destroyed. They were not simply against the system, they seemed to be against Kaiba as well, claiming he was playing God. The sentiment rang familiar in Atem's ear. He remembered it from the e-mail Kaiba had received with the first video and these sentiments, echoed across the debate for the next few days, they popped up in articles, TV, online commentary. Atem narrowed his eyes as he read and heard them. Something sinister was afoot. Some game, designed to defeat Kaiba. He could feel it. He watched every show keenly, read every article, trying to make sense of it, because he wanted to help his rival, but he couldn't. Yugi stayed by his side too, translating when needed, supporting both him and Kaiba.

Atem had expected Kaiba to have forgotten all about his promise of a flat for him and Yugi. He almost had himself, which is why he was surprised when Yugi presented to him a letter. Inside the silver envelope was a gorgeous KC business card, the logo was holographic, only visible under a certain angle. On the other side, in Kaiba's neat handwriting, an address. It warmed Atem's heart somehow, to know that he had taken the time to write it by hand. And a keycard. Of course it would be a card. It was Kaiba. 

He watched Yugi smile, he seemed so happy. _See, he didn't forget!_ he sang happily in Atem's head. Yugi was such a kind soul, always happy when something happened that he thought would make Atem happy. He had worried him again, Atem thought guiltily, been too absorbed in this whole Kaiba business. _But we can't accept, can we?_

Yugi hummed, sat on the bed next to Atem and considered. _Maybe we should check it out just in case._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long. Personal stuff and work happened and I had to edit some original fiction that's hopefully soon to be published. Writing original fiction does give me an appreciation for fan fiction. You have so much freedom and while I do my best to abolish all typos and grammar mistakes (although I know some remain) I have a lot of stylistic freedom and I don't have to cut out scenes I like simply because it makes the story too long or is a bit of a filler. As long as I like it, it's cool. Of course I have that freedom in original writing somewhat too, but there is more here. That being said, having a good editor is a blessing and it's great to have that feedback. 
> 
> Speaking of feedback, I want your critiques and thoughts and if you don't like something or if you do, let me know.
> 
> Okay, you know what? As I'm writing this now I feel that there is a good chance this story will develop into something a little flareshippy as well. I know I'm not going to have whole chapters revolving around one of them being jealous, so if you're scared of that, don't worry. Also, this story scares me, because we are 12 chapters in and not even at the halfway point yet. I think this will be a 30 - 40 chapter fic. Are you guys prepared for that?
> 
> Also I'm reading Midnight Sun and it is proving a helpful inspiration when it comes to writing characters, who can read minds.


	13. Our little place

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yugi's POV

Atem seemed to have completely drowned himself in the news broadcasts surrounding Kaiba and while Yugi worried about Kaiba, he worried about Atem too. At first he had been really grateful when Honda had offered Atem one of his old laptops. Now it was beginning to seem like a curse. It wasn't that Atem was addicted to gaming or being online in general (although they both enjoyed their games a lot), instead he seemed to have become obsessed with every media coverage of Kaiba there was. Yugi understood perfectly, because he too, was very worried for Kaiba, but what Atem did would only serve to make himself miserable. Watching videos and reading comments about people hating the man you were in love with would be enough to get anyone down. 

So it came as a blessing when he found a letter for Atem in the mail. He smiled. Of course Kaiba-kun wouldn't forget. Yugi practically ran upstairs. Atem looked so very fond, finding a KC business card and a note from Kaiba, as well as a keycard. It was so good to see him happy. 

_See, he didn't forget!_

Atem's smile faded as quickly as it had appeared. _But we can't accept, can we?_

Yugi sat next to Atem on the bed and considered. It was true that he thought they couldn't just accept a flat as a present and move in. Even if Kaiba was insanely rich, giving them a flat was just too much, but to entirely ignore it, seemed rude too. 

_Maybe we should check it out just in case._

Yugi could tell Atem was trying to play it cool, but he could feel the happiness radiating off him, could see the little smile on his lips. Yes, they should definitely check it out. 

And still, despite the fact that Yugi was sure he had made the right decision, despite the fact that he was glad there was something to distract Atem from the media backlash Kaiba was under, the whole thing still kept him awake. What if Atem loved the flat? What if he wanted to stay there? It was Kaiba's present for him, so Yugi supposed he could, technically, accept it. Where would that leave him? He couldn't just move into a new more spacious flat with Atem and pretend it was okay. He wasn't sure Kaiba even liked him. It was very hard to tell with Kaiba. Yugi wanted to be friends, of course, he considered Kaiba his friend, but he was unsure the feeling was mutual. Then again, Kaiba had asked if Yugi would like to live somewhere bigger with Atem. His intention seemed to be giving Atem a place where they could live together. Did Kaiba-kun think of them as a couple? If so, was that something that might get in the way of Atem's wishes regarding him and Kaiba?

 _What's keeping you awake?_ Atem's warm voice wandered inside his head and Yugi shifted a bit closer to him and his bed. Sometimes Yugi wondered if they shouldn't be so attached to the hip. Sure, he knew now that they were two separate people, he didn't technically think of them as the same anymore, but sometimes Atem still felt like a part of him. His other half. When he had been gone, it had never felt like Yugi had been whole. It had been like a piece of him had been missing. Was that wrong? Was he supposed to be more independent? After all they had been through? 

_Partner?_ Atem sounded worried. 

_I thought you were asleep._

_Even if I had been, your loud worrying would have woken me._

Yugi looked over to him apologetically. _I'm sorry._

_It's okay. What worries you so?_

_Nothing. Just thinking._

_About?_

_Just stuff. The flat._

_We don't have to go there at all. I can call Kaiba. Say we can't accept._

_I know, it just feels rude to dismiss it. He is so busy and he thought of us still. Thought of you. He might be hurt if we don't check it out at all._

_So we'll go, see it and then say we can't accept?_

_Yeah, but... what if you like it?_

Atem smiled. _I'm sure I will. But I like it here too._

Yugi carefully guarded his next thought from Atem. _We can't live like this, here, forever._ Oh, how he wished they could. They fell asleep like that, so close to one another, in the safe comforting darkness of Yugi's attic.

However sleep was only a temporary remedy for his worries. The next morning he was up again, in the small kitchen with his grandfather, who was reading the morning paper. The fact that Kaiba's face was plastered on the front page didn't really help to distract Yugi from his thoughts. He must have been gloomy enough, for his grandfather could tell something was bothering him: "What's got you so worried, Yugi?"

Yugi hesitated. He wasn't exactly sure how grandfather felt about Kaiba nowadays, all things considered. Still, he decided straight to the point was the best approach: "Kaiba gifted Atem a flat." 

Sugoroku folded the newspaper and stared at the picture of the man in question: "Well, he can certainly afford such lavish presents. He has always been... eccentric, hasn't he? That boy," his grandfather almost sounded fond then and it made Yugi smile. 

"Yeah... we're going to see the place today..." Jii-san nodded at that, seemingly all very approving, so Yugi continued: "What do you think we should do? Should we accept?"

The older Muto looked surprised then: "Well, Atem certainly can't live here forever. This is an excellent opportunity for him. Lavish as the gift might be. But I had no idea you were planning to move in with him."

Yugi blushed: "I don't think I was...," he had no idea what he wanted to do. He didn't want to leave Atem, but suggesting they moved in together seemed like too much to ask. Besides, Atem liked Kaiba-kun. Maybe they would like to live together. One day, when they got their feelings sorted. 

Thankfully his inner turmoil was interrupted by a very cheerful Atem coming downstairs: "Morning, aibou! You're... up early!" It was rare that they spoke out aloud, but when a third party was around they did, with varying success, try not to leave them out of the conversation. 

"Good morning, Atem," Sugoroku said, in Atem's own language. He was still very much interested in the topic of Ancient Egypt, so naturally, he had had Atem teach him some phrases. Yugi had tried to learn too, but there was never too much initiative for language learning when they could just instantly know what the other was thinking without speaking. Atem came and leaned over Sugoroku, no doubt spotting a picture of Kaiba and curious to know what was going on: "Will you please read this to me?" he asked, in his best polite Japanese. Yugi wished he hadn't, whatever was in the article would just torment Atem and put him out of the good mood he was in. Still, his grandfather complied of course and began reading while Atem made breakfast. He absolutely loved cooking for Yugi, and really anyone else he could get to sit behind a table for long enough. Some of his dishes tasted a little - eccentric, but Yugi always indulged him. You needed to mess up to learn after all and some of the stuff Atem made was delicious. 

After an unexpectedly spicy, but mouth-watering breakfast Atem and Yugi made their way to the flat. It was a beautiful sunny day and despite his worries about Atem leaving, Yugi couldn't help but feel happy as he and Atem walked hand-in-hand across the streets of Domino. He had decided Atem should take the flat. After all, as grandfather had pointed out, this was a great opportunity and Atem couldn't live with him forever, even if the thought made him sad, it wasn't the end of the world. Atem wasn't leaving to the afterlife again. He would be right here in Domino City. And yet, despite having seemingly reached a decision Yugi still took care to keep all these thoughts from Atem as they approached the building. 

Yugi had been able to tell the house was in the city center from seeing the address on the card, but he hadn't known it was right next to Kaiba Corporation. That was the first thing he noticed. The second were the protests. People were chanting all around Kaiba Corporation. Atem didn't even need to know what they were saying, if the visuals of the posters weren't enough to give him a hint the sight of people burning and breaking Duel Disks was. Many were even ripping apart their decks. It was a sight to behold really. Japanese people hardly ever got this rowdy during protests. Atem had gone rigid next to Yugi. He looked like he wanted to bite the heads off every single protester there was. 

_There's nothing you can do._ Yugi said, an odd sentiment for him. They always wanted to help their friends, but they couldn't duel their way out of this. 

_There has to be._

_Maybe we'll think of something._ Yugi agreed, wanting to be positive, wanting to feel there was a way to help. 

Wind carried a piece of a ripped apart card to Atem's feet. Rose Witch wasn't a rare card by any measure, but the sight clearly upset Atem, it enraged him. He picked it up gingerly. _Such disrespect. Even if they hate Kaiba..._ his thoughts trailed off to wordlessness. 

One of the protesters noticed Atem and seemed to recognize him. She pointed at him and the waterfall of profanities and insults that she directed at Atem was the worst Yugi had ever heard. She then, a moment later, noticed Yugi and started accusing him of being Kaiba's plaything, a puppet, a tool to his evil cause that needed to be destroyed. Atem may not have understood every word, but the tone in which she spoke to Yugi alone was enough to infuriate him. Yugi gently took Atem's hand, hoping to simply exit the situation, before things got ugly, but Atem would have none of that. 

" _You coward_!" he seethed. His accent was evident, but his meaning clear enough. " _Duel me_!" Atem roared: "If you ... have any honor at all duel me!" Yugi was secretly glad this was the route Atem was taking instead of getting into a fight of different sort. 

"I don't duel," she spat. "It's just bowing to the system," she explained, produced another set of cards from her purse and tore them apart. Atem seemed to be oblivious to her words, but the sight of yet more more cards being torn to pieces made his blood boil. Yugi could feel the anger radiating off him. It almost made it uncomfortable to stand near him. 

_She doesn't duel. Says it's bowing to the system._ he translated nonetheless.

_Figures. A coward._

"Coward. What shall we play then?"

The woman seemed confused: "What?"

_Did I say it wrong?_

Yugi smiled. _Nope, she's just confused._

"What kind of a game would you like to play?"

"I don't play games!" the woman spat. 

"Oh, I think you will...," Yugi had forgotten how truly terrifying Atem could be when he wanted to be. When someone he loved was being mistreated. He saw it now. Atem reached to take the woman's hand, hold her in place, but she recoiled. 

"Something simple then? Checkers? Cheat?"

 _What are you going to do? You no longer have the power of Mind Crush._ Yugi was secretly a little glad for that. 

_I'll think of something._ Atem thought, but the woman was having none of it: "No! I will not play anything with you, you sick freak!" she hurled a few more insults as she retreated, eager to disappear in the crowd, clearly terrified of Atem despite her bold words. 

It was a small miracle no one else had paid enough mind to the whole exchange to join it. _Let's go. Don't waste time on her. We have a flat to check out._ Yugi reminded, pulling Atem along. 

The former Pharaoh sighed. _I wanted to do_ something. 

_What would have you done? Dueled every person in the mob?_

_Yes. So they would have seen how wrong they were._

Yugi believed him. Atem would have dueled them all. To help Kaiba. To make his case. He wasn't sure if it would have helped or not. After all, dueling did have a way of clearing things up, but these people wouldn't duel. It was like trying to argue with someone who wouldn't listen. 

Atem was still furious even as they entered the flat, Yugi could feel it even without words or coherent thoughts, but he hoped the beautiful sight of the luxurious flat would make his friend happy. And beautiful it was. Sunlight poured into the large windows, lighting up the already light rooms, pale wooden floors looked pristine and clean as they stepped into the large kitchen/living room area. Yugi supposed this was a very modest place by Kaiba-kun's standards, but it was times and times larger than where they stayed now. The kitchen was all stainless steel, equipped with every appliance known to man. Yugi could tell Atem was already keen to try them all out.

The kitchen table had another KC business card laid on it. Atem took it and studied it in silence for a moment, before turning to Yugi. _What does it say?_

Yugi took a step closer and inspected the card in question. He smiled. _He definitely likes you._

 _Why? What does it say?_ Atem was clearly trying not to sound too hopeful failing miserably.

_Not quite a castle, but more suited for a King anyways._

Atem smiled. _I suppose that's a kind statement coming from Kaiba._

 _You should talk to him_. Yugi thought as he watched Atem look through the kitchen cupboards and cabinets. Apart from some dishes and appliances nothing much was there, they found some coffee and tea, but nothing else. _I wonder if I could convince partner to stay here for just one night._ he heard Atem thought.

_We should have brought clothes and things, but I suppose we could. If we had toothbrushes and that sort of essential stuff._

Atem rejoiced and Yugi wondered if this was all a mistake, concealing these thoughts carefully. They couldn't possibly accept this lavish gift, but Atem was already, quite understandably, in love with the place. Well, it was a gift to him. He could accept it if he really wanted to. He was less certain about himself. Atem had, in the meanwhile, wandered into the bathroom and happily announced there were brand new toothbrushes readily available.

_We would still need some food and stuff. I'll go down to the supermarket._

_In a bit, let's check the place out some more. Maybe there is something else we'll need._ Atem thought and set out to wander around the rest of the flat. There were two bedrooms and Atem walked into one of them. Yugi decided to have a look around too. The large living room area was connected to a small balcony and he decided to take a look.

 _There are Duel Monsters cards in the cupboard drawers!_ Atem thought at Yugi happily.

_Sounds like Kaiba. I think you should see this._

_What?_

_Come to the balcony._

_There's a balcony?_ Atem came back to the living room, finally noticed the entrance to the balcony and joined Yugi there. _It's beautiful. We could have breakfast here. Once the protests stop._

Indeed there were still protestors surrounding the Kaiba Corporation, just the sound of their chanting caused Atem's body to go rigid with tension once more, but that was not what Yugi wanted him to see.

 _Look up._ Atem. Atem did, his mouth dropped open. Yugi smiled, happy.

_It's Kaiba._

Indeed it was. The balcony looked straight into Kaiba's office. In fact it was so close to the office that had Kaiba had his window open Atem may have been able to leap from the balcony into his office. Atem's initial happiness quickly deteriorated. 

_He looks tormented._

Yugi had to admit that he did. His eyes were glued to the screen in front of him, although what he saw there was clearly troubling him. He was also wearing what Yugi was sure were noise cancelling headphones to block out the murderous insults that could be heard from the street. He wondered if Kaiba had gotten a single full night's sleep since his return. He supposed there was the one night they were over. Although Atem had woken them with his nightmare induced screams. _But he got you a flat that overlooks his office. You can see him whenever he's in there._

_Maybe the idea of his rival watching over him inspires him to push himself. Although I'm not sure that's a good thing considering how tired he looks._

Yugi took a deep breath and willed himself to have patience. He couldn't push Atem too hard. Atem had to come to this conclusion himself. He couldn't make him believe things he wasn't ready to believe. Same had been true for Kaiba in other circumstances and was possibly true now as well. 

_Could we go to the supermarket now?_ Atem asked and Yugi worried that the last remnants of his happiness were gone, but Atem seemed determined if anything. They got some essentials they would need for the night from the small store nearby, groceries for dinner as well as some tape and markers and paper that Atem insisted on. Yugi wondered what Atem was going to do with them, but his other side was clearly taking care to keep a secret, so he didn't pry. 

Once they got home Atem got the markers out and wrote a large message on one of the papers in Ancient Egyptian. 

_What does it say? Unless you don't want to tell me..._

Atem looked at Yugi and smiled. _Of course I do._ It _says 'The place is beautiful.' Do you think it's big enough to be read from the office?_

_I think so. The place is pretty close._

Satisfied with the answer Atem went and taped the message to the glass door of the balcony so it was visible through it. Yugi half expected him to stay there and wait for Kaiba to look up, but he didn't. Instead he came back and started cooking pasta based on a recipe he had been wanting to try out, clearly equally excited about the chance to use this gorgeous kitchen. They played 20 questions in their mind while Atem cooked. 

_I don't think I've ever been fed so well in my life as I have during the time you've been back. Is it related to food?_

Atem smiled, humming a bit. Yugi wondered if he realized he was singing _Automatic*._ It was on the radio constantly. _I love cooking for you, partner. Also, you're good. Yes. 17._

_Hmm. Is it a dish or a ingredient? I love eating your food. When you don't experiment too hard._

_A dish. 16._

Yugi smirked. _Is it pancakes?_ Atem had been trying to re-create Kaiba's pancakes time and time again, but never managed. Yugi wondered if just asking him for the recipe would be some sort of a surrendering move in Atem's eyes. Most people would have jumped at the chance to talk to their crush. Not Atem and Kaiba though. 

_No. 15._

_Is it sweet or savory?_

_Savory_ _. I think. 14._

_But you've never had it?_

_No. 13._

_But you want to cook it?_

_Yes. 12._

_Is it takoyaki?_

_Yes, how did you -_

_You kept looking at the pan.** I'd like takoyaki, but I think you should at least try some first before attempting to make it. My turn?_

Once they were done eating their delicious dinner (Yugi was beginning to think Italian cuisine might unexpectedly be one of Atem's strong fronts.) they played some more games. They had found quite a few obscure tabletop games from Kaiba's closet. Yugi wondered if they had ever been released to the public or if they were just sample products sent to Kaiba Corporation and Millennium Industries (did Kaiba Corp even deal with tabletop games? But if not then why did Kaiba have them?). Quite a few of them had the words _SAMPLE PRODUCT_ stamped on the box that seemed to confirm Yugi's theory. That and the fact that the rules of some of the games weren't very well thought out, sometimes they were plain broken. 

They were about to call it a night and we're already getting ready for bed, when Atem received a text. He stared at it for a good bit, clearly trying his hardest to decipher it himself, before handing it to Yugi. _What does he say?_

Yugi read. _Most people would just text. What if I hadn't looked up?_

Atem, attempting to text back, vent to the balcony door to see if Kaiba was still in his office. Yugi followed. He was, looking at his phone. _Can you come check my spelling?_ Atem asked. 

Yugi read over Atem's shoulder. _Have you had dinner?_ Yugi thought he could see where this was going. They had plenty of that pasta left over and while he would have been happy to eat it the next morning, he had no problems with Kaiba eating it either. 

_Is this okay? It's late and you wanted to go to bed._ Atem asked.

_Yes. Of course. Ask him._

Atem sent the text and got a response nearly instantly. _No. Busy._

It took Atem a while to compose his next message and Yugi did his best to help him compose it without wounding his pride and making it seem like he had done it. _I made dinner. There's still some left. Come over._

_Can't. Mokuba is pissed at me for not coming home last night. I need to go home._

Yugi could tell Atem couldn't argue with that. Mokuba was family, asking Kaiba to abandon his little brother was unacceptable. But it wasn't unacceptable to ask the other brother to dinner as well. They had enough left for both of them. Yugi had a moment of hesitation. Was he meddling too much? But Atem looked so disappointed. No, he decided these two needed a little push or they'd never get anywhere. He hurried back to the dinner table to get his own phone. 

_Mokuba-kun. Are you still awake?_

_Yep. Waiting for Nii-sama to get home. Not sure he'll make it. He promised during the day, but he didn't make it home last night._

Yugi wondered if maybe he shouldn't ask after all. The boys had too little time together as it was. 

_Well, he's coming home right now. He just got off work._

_Great! Thanks. Did you guys pester him?_

_Not at all. Atem made a ton of pasta and invited him over for dinner. He said he was going home to you. You wouldn't want pasta by any chance? You could both join us._

_That depends. Is the pasta good?_

_Delicious._

_Okay then. Pasta at 1 in the morning isn't by far the most eccentric stuff we've done together and a dinner with him would be kind of nice. I'll go wake the driver._

_Oh no! I don't want you to wake someone!_

_Too late. Wasn't Atem's idea for them to be alone though?_

_I think not. We're always happy to see you both._

_And here I thought you were cunningly setting them up._

_Perish the thought. Can you text Kaiba too?_

Yugi had to stop texting, because Atem was calling out to him via their mental link and Yugi rushed to translate whatever text message Kaiba had just sent. _He wants to know if you invited Mokuba to dinner too._ Yugi translated.

Atem looked perplexed for a brief delightful moment before replying. _No. Should have I? I can._ Yugi spell-checked the message and once he approved it, it was sent. 

_Someone did. He told me he is going to have dinner at yours._ Yugi translated and Atem looked over to his partner. _Did you...?_ he thought. 

Yugi felt a bit embarrassed at that and he guessed he looked the part too. _You were looking so sad..._

_Partner!_

_I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I won't do it again if you don't want to._

_It's very kind of you, of course, but I'm sure it will change nothing between me and Kaiba._ Atem thought and then turned back to his texting. _Yugi._

Yugi watched Kaiba nod, text something and put his phone away. 

Yugi should have known better to be surprised by anything dramatic that Kaiba did. However he wasn't ready for Kaiba taking a few steps back, running and then jumping out of his open window on to the balcony. Or rather on the thin rusted metal railing of the balcony. It looked an unstable arrangement and Yugi's heart was in his throat with worry. Atem however simply walked to the balcony and offered his ~~rival~~ crush a hand as if that was the most normal thing ever and Kaiba stepped onto the balcony, all grace and elegance despite the obvious sleep-deprivation. Yugi thought the scene was rather romantic as they stood on the small balcony, both staring at each other with their usual intensity. 

They chatted in Ancient Egyptian as they reached the kitchen area and Yugi let them. He had no idea what they were saying, Kaiba sounded either very serious or slightly put off as he always did. Atem sounded... quite merry, Yugi thought. He let the two talk. He had no idea what to say to Kaiba either way. He wanted to offer his sympathies for the situation Kaiba was in and ask if there was anything he could do, but he doubted Kaiba would appreciate the sentiment. Instead he quietly sat next to Kaiba at the dinner table. The poor man looked so exhausted it seemed like he was having trouble keeping his eyes open.

Atem continued to make conversation even as he heated the food. Yugi thought he heard the word pancakes and counted Atem asking for the pancake recipe as a small victory. If that was what he was doing. Must have been. Kaiba looked smug. Atem replied something playful and then suddenly the mood changed entirely. Yugi could feel Atem's mood shift: "Kaiba..." he began and said something else, before being distracted by the front door. Mokuba threw himself at his older brother, wrapping his arms around him tightly as if he hadn't seen him in month: "Nii-sama!"

Kaiba stroked Mokuba's hair affectionately: "Hey... we just saw over lunch..." he mumbled. Yugi was slightly surprised to hear that he did have an accent. It had been pretty much non-existent during his speech. Perhaps he had just practiced those particular lines over and over again until there was no hesitation or any hint of an accent. 

"You barely looked up from your computer!" Mokuba complained, but he sounded more playful than anything. 

Mokuba had come with a few suitcases and Kaiba pointed at these: "What is inside - that?" He was either too tired to try to think of the word, didn't know it or didn't care.

"Well... it's really late so I thought if that's okay with Yugi and Atem, maybe we could spend the night here?"

" _Of course_!" Yugi didn't expect him and Atem to speak in perfect unison, especially because he hadn't even translated what Mokuba had said, but apparently Atem had understood and was entirely on board with the plan. Not that Yugi was surprised by that last bit. 

"It's your apartment anyway. You don't need our permission," Yugi reminded. 

Kaiba shrugged: "I gave it to you and Atem to... use. I actually - um - own several - apartments this side of the building, but I don't have the keys with me and - there is nothing inside." 

A mildly terrifying thought entered Yugi's brain: "You didn't furnish everything for my and Atem's sake, did you?"

Kaiba shook his head: "No... I stay here sometimes," he yawned: "Close to work..." he explained just as Atem served beautiful platefuls of pasta for both Mokuba and Kaiba, addressing them in Japanese, presumably so that Mokuba wouldn't be left out: "Anything to drink? Coke? Orange juice? Tea?" 

Yugi decided to make some tea for himself as well, just to blend in a bit, it always tended to make people uncomfortable when they ate and you just stared and he didn't want anyone to be uncomfortable if it could be helped. Atem served the drinks and then got himself a glass of coke as well, sitting opposite to Kaiba watching him in such a way that made Yugi wonder how it wasn't immediately obvious to everyone he liked the man as much more than rivals. Or friends for that matter. However, for now the brothers were distracted by Atem's pasta and Yugi could hardly blame them. Mokuba was of course more willing to shower Atem with compliments, Kaiba just stared at his plate for a moment in something like confusion and bewilderment: "Mokuba's right," he eventually said: "It is better than what the chef makes. It's sort of amazing, actually." 

Atem's joy nearly knocked the air out of Yugi's lungs, behind the small smile and an even smaller hint of a blush that he covered with a cough and a small: "Thank you, means a lot," was such pure joy Yugi had thought was reserved for saving lives and the world. Yugi thought it was incredibly impressive how Atem could hide his feelings behind such an expression of confidence and calm, when his heart was singing, nearly leaping out of his chest. He added something in Ancient Egyptian and Kaiba replied, his tone was unimpressed and it sounded like they were arguing again just moments later, but Yugi could feel Atem's heart was still filled to the brim with joy. Atem may have had the perfect pokerface, but Yugi didn't and he let himself smile freely, catching Kaiba's attention: "What?"

Yugi shook his head: "My pokerface isn't as good as Atem's, I guess." 

Kaiba just looked more confused: "Hm?"

"He's really happy. I can feel it. So I'm happy too."

"Ah," Kaiba nodded, asked Atem something in Ancient Egyptian and seemed satisfied with the answer that followed. 

For a while they all ate and drank their drinks, happy in the companionable silence, Kaiba broke it, asking Atem something in Ancient Egyptian. Atem replied, Yugi was happy to let them talk, even if the subject seemed serious from the sound of it, but Mokuba wanted to know what was going on.

Kaiba was clearly struggling to translate and Yugi wondered if he should help: "Atem asked me if... if I had a feeling there was something bigger going on..."

 _Let me translate for Mokuba. Kaiba's clearly exhausted. It's the least I we can do._ Yugi told Atem. _If you don't mind telling us what you're talking about._

_I would never mind._

However Kaiba continued to struggle in Japanese for a bit: "I told him that I have. That I do? That I do."

He seemed uncertain how to continue so Yugi offered: "You talk to Atem in Egyptian, I'll translate for Mokuba," Yugi offered, surprisingly Kaiba didn't argue, just nodded. He must have truly been exhausted. 

So, as agreed, Kaiba spoke to Atem, Yugi translated the words the moment Atem gave them to him: "He says," Yugi told Mokuba: "That Atem wanted to know if he felt something larger was afoot, some grand game. Your brother seems to think that there is. That the protests and the public outrage isn't just people spontaneously reacting to the events that have transpired, that..." Yugi paused, he had a constant stream of thoughts coming his way from Atem and he understood them all perfectly, he understood what Kaiba meant, but he couldn't believe it: "He thinks there is someone pulling the strings and orchestrating the whole thing, writing articles, comments, someone who - is paying people to be upset with him, with the solid Vision System, someone who is trying to create the illusion of a public outrage and is so very good at it that everyone's falling for it," Yugi shook his head in disbelief, he couldn't help himself, he spoke to Kaiba directly: "Really? That's possible?"

Kaiba nodded, either too proud to go through Atem and speak in Ancient Egyptian or simply doing Yugi the courtesy of speaking to him directly: "Yes...They do it all the time in politics... They hire a - ," he sighed, made a dismissive movement with his hand and said: "Yes." He turned to Atem instead, telling him, what he clearly intended to tell Yugi at first, but was trying to hide the fact that he was struggling by pretending he wanted to talk to Atem. 

Yugi let him keep his pride and continued to translate for Mokuba: "He says that in politics they would hire a small group of people to write comments, posts, articles, things online, under false names if they can. They make it seem like there is a large number of people who share their beliefs when there really isn't. They then find more and more people to agree to their view, who then get even more people to agree and then, before you know it, there _is_ a public outrage. They shape the public opinion. He thinks that's what's going on here too. Someone is pulling the strings, going far beyond just creating a few videos, they're creating this," Kaiba gestured towards the balcony and outside and Yugi patiently waited, before continuing: "public outrage." There was another pause, before Yugi carried on: "He says that he keeps trying to peak behind the curtain, keeps trying to figure out who's behind this, but he can't see...," Yugi fell silent as Kaiba did too, burying his hand in his hair as he tried desperately to figure out the mess he was in. An awkward silence fell on the room. Everyone could see Kaiba was suffering and they all wanted to help, but no one knew how. 

"Pegasus?" Atem offered, likely because he knew no one else capable of such an outrageous feat. 

Kaiba shook his head. Yugi translated once more: "If the Solid Vision system is discontinued he would suffer a loss too. It is still mainly used for dueling." 

Atem nodded as Kaiba regained his composure. He straightened his back and smoothed out his expression, returning to his meal as if all was fine, none of them spoke of the matter again. 

They finished the meal with Mokuba talking about his day at school and Kaiba dividing his time between eating, listening to his little brother and trying not to fall asleep, the man looked so exhausted Yugi honestly vaguely worried about him falling asleep at the table. Atem in the meanwhile was still blissfully happy. He kept his pokerface perfect, but Yugi could tell. 

_It was a good idea inviting Mokuba and Kaiba._

_Yes. I still wish we could help._

_I know. We'll think of something._ Yugi thought as Kaiba stood up and announced he was going to shower leaving Yugi, Atem and Mokuba in the dining area by themselves. 

Mokuba thanked Atem for the food and complimented him some more, clearly aware how of happy it made Atem, despite him hiding his joy rather well. Yugi supposed Mokuba had a lot of experience reading pokerfaces.

"I was thinking I would like to make a dinner party somewhen... maybe," Atem admitted to them a moment later.

"That sounds great!" Mokuba encouraged: "Not sure how Nii-sama will feel about being somewhere with people who aren't the 3 of us, but I'll definitely drag him over if you invite him." 

" _Of course we'll invite him!"_ Atem was so enthusiastic it almost made Yugi want to laugh a bit, usually he was the one ready to jump at any opportunity to make friends. 

"You'll have to seat him _really_ far from Jounouchi... like - preferably into another house," Mokuba joked. 

Atem laughed: "Yeah, the - that will - be a challenge. But I would still invite him," he assured. 

There was a moment of silence when Mokuba seemed to consider his next words carefully: "Thank you for inviting us to dinner. It was really nice, having a meal with someone, with more people than just Nii-sama and myself. Don't tell him I said that, I don't want him to get the wrong idea and he's sure to do that, but - thank you. It was very nice."

 _Did you get all that?_ Yugi checked. 

_I think so. Mokuba liked having dinner with us. We shouldn't tell Kaiba._

Yugi smiled a bit. Atem was making huge strides in his Japanese, true, he had moments when he could follow entire conversations and moments when he understood nothing, but overall Yugi was really impressed. Well, it was Atem after all. Should he really have been surprised?

"Well, - now that we're right next to Kaiba's work, maybe we can invite you more often." That caught Yugi off guard and not because of the perfectly constructed sentence structure. Atem had decided to live here then after all, the thought filled Yugi with sadness and longing in an instant, before he realized Atem had said "we". Atem wanted him to live here too? With him? Atem must have noticed the confusion on Yugi's face or maybe he felt it, but he caught on to his slip-up and instantly felt a incredibly flustered. 

"That is - umm - maybe -... if we do - live here,"

Mokuba, not understanding what Atem was trying to say looked at Yugi for help in confusion: "I think what he means is if we decide to stay here. We haven't decided yet." He had decided Atem could stay if he wanted, but he hadn't decided anything about himself and Atem seemed to want him to stay too. Yugi wanted that too, if he was honest. It was exactly what he wanted, really, for them to stay together here. It just seemed too good to be true. 

Yugi thought Mokuba looked just a tad offended and wondered, if this was the reaction he got from the much nicer, politer Kaiba brother, how would his older brother react: "Why not?"

"Well, we can't really - we can't just accept a flat from Kaiba-kun. It's too much. It's too large of a present to accept. " 

Mokuba shrugged: "We really don't need it."

"I know. Perhaps Atem will stay, but me? Half the time I'm not even sure Kaiba-kun likes me," Yugi admitted, although he quickly followed that up with: "Which isn't to say I don't like him! I do, I've always wanted him and I to be friends, but I can't accept a present like that from someone, who seems to just barely tolerate me. I couldn't accept a present like that from anyone. Even if it means nothing to them, it means the world to us," Yugi glanced over to his partner to see if Atem followed the conversation, but between the emotions flowing through their connection and Atem's continuously improving grasp of the Japanese language he seemed to be following, more or less. 

"Then don't," Kaiba's voice sounded so harsh it made Yugi jump. He worried that he had offended the man despite his best attempts to avoid doing just that, a quick look at the man wrapped in white towels seemed to confirm that.

"Kaiba-k-," 

"If you don't want it, don't use it. I think you're being an idiot, but that's hardly news," he scoffed. 

" _Kaiba_ ," there was warning in Atem's voice and a matching twinkle in his eyes. He understood the conversation perfectly and he was not appreciative of Kaiba's tone nor his sentiment. Yugi could feel his anger simmer. 

" _He is! He's being an utter idiot! When someone gives you something you take it. You take it and see if there's something else you can get!"_ Kaiba snapped. Yugi felt horrible. The last thing he wanted to do was repay Kaiba for all his kindness by making him angry and even more upset. The poor guy had enough to worry about as it was. 

"We don't want to... be like that. We don't want to just - take stuff - from you. Yugi isn't like that. You know that. He's kind and sweet and wonderful," Atem explained, his anger suddenly gone, an attempt to make Kaiba understand had taken its place. 

"I'm aware of how much you love him," Kaiba scoffed, Yugi wondered if he thought Atem's affections were misplaced. He certainly didn't sound approving. 

Yugi swallowed. He had to thread carefully and he felt like no matter what he would say it would be the wrong thing to say: "We don't just want to use you. We're friends. Friends don't do that. We'd - we'd actually like to find a way to help you, but you keep helping us instead. It's not fair."

Kaiba hummed, sounding disapproving once more: "I don't need your help." Yugi didn't think that was true. Kaiba needed someone's help. He was shouldering too much alone.

"We would like to help nonetheless."

"Hmph," Kaiba shrugged: "I don't let anyone use me. _I don't._ And I don't think it's fair you have to live like that," he looked over to Atem: "He's a King... And I'm pretty sure you've saved the world. In a fair world that would mean you'd both be bathing in riches. But the world isn't fair. The world was _never_ fair. Atem is - correct. You are kind and sweet," That caught Yugi by surprise. It was by far the nicest thing Kaiba had ever said about him. He nearly cancelled it out a moment later: "I am correct too. You are an idiot. You get nothing in this world by being kind and sweet. You end up poor and miserable and alone. No one really cares. People will - um - stab you in the back," he accompanied the words with a matching motion and he sounded like he wasn't quite sure if he had used the right words.

It was heartbreaking to listen to Kaiba say these things, because Yugi knew he meant them. He understood that Kaiba actually said them with his best interest at heart. It was what he believed, what his life had taught him. Yugi did know being kind didn't always pay. Sometimes it got you beat up, but he believed it was still the right thing to do: "Okay, first, your Japanese is _amazing_. Seriously. Secondly, I disagree. Being kind has gotten me here with the person I care about more than anything in the world," he he glanced at Atem who smiled back at him. _Are you still following?_

_More or less. We can fill the gaps later._

"And with my friends, one of whom is shouting at me for not accepting his very lavish and very kind present," Yugi said with a smile. 

Kaiba just huffed: "Think what you want," he crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe as he looked away from all of them. 

"Kaiba," It was Atem this time, asking for his friend's attention. Kaiba looked over to him in response: "Yugi is - honest. It really does mean everything," he gestured at the flat around them. "It's beautiful. I really like it." Yugi wondered why they were still speaking in Japanese, maybe because once Yugi would hear his own name he would surely be curious. Or maybe it just felt strange, switching midway conversation. 

"Then keep it," the other man huffed. He clearly didn't care for words, only actions mattered. Yugi was starting to think maybe they should accept this gift. It was what Atem wanted and he too, would have loved to live here with him. Kaiba walked to the balcony door, staring out into the darkness through the glass door: "Do you see my office?"

Atem nodded, Yugi and Mokuba all came to look too. Yugi wondered what Mokuba had thought of their entire exchange. Kaiba kept on staring out of the window: "I purchased almost - half of this house, but this flat in particular was - the most important. Because if someone lived here they could see everything I was doing at work."

Atem asked something, in Ancient Egyptian, Kaiba shook his head: "It's unsafe. They could find out our company secrets, but worse than that, they could easily kill me. All you need is a gun," he mimicked the motion of shooting a gun with his finger: "Still - even after I bought this part of the house, I always thought that if someone broke in here they could easily shoot me. So I have very good security here. Of course... if I were to trust someone enough to - live here all the time - that would...make things easier. Not that I do." He lied. It was such an obvious lie. He _had_ just offered that Yugi and Atem live here permanently after all.

Yugi was about to ask if Kaiba really thought someone would break in here and shoot him. Wasn't he being a bit paranoid? Except he realized he wasn't. Kaiba's enemies weren't above that. There were people on the streets chanting for his death. Everyone had listened in silence. And now too, they were in stunned silence. 

_Do you understand what this means?_ he asked Atem.

Atem too, seemed a little too stunned to reply, even in his mind. 

Kaiba however, pretended as if he hadn't said anything too meaningful: "I'm off to bed. Good night," he said, turned on his heel and left for the bedroom. 

"I'll be with you in a minute!" Mokuba cried brightly, making his way to the bathroom. Atem just stared after Kaiba wordlessly as he went. Once gone he turned his attention back to Yugi. 

_It's a show of faith._ Yugi whispered quietly into Atem's mind. 

The other man nodded. _I should have known. Kaiba does nothing thoughtlessly. (Well, I suppose he could get in a fight, but...). Of course he would put more meaning into this as well than first meets the eye._

As they made their way to to their own bedroom Yugi realized that Kaiba had given them everything they wanted. Not just the flat, not just a place to stay, but also an excuse to stay, a way to help that they so desperately wanted _. Maybe we should stay. After all, Kaiba is bound to feel hurt now if we leave._

 _Only if you want to._ Atem thought, but he felt happy at the suggestion. He wanted to stay here. Protect Kaiba if he could. _I don't want to force you to leave your home._

_I wouldn't mind, but I wonder how and what I would say to my grandfather._

_We don't have to._ Atem repeated.

On the other side of the thin walls Kaiba was yelling at Mokuba. Yugi hadn't heard the start of the exchange, but with both of their voices raised it was easy to make out every word: "Oh, don't you start too!" Kaiba said. 

"I'm not saying you're wrong! You could both be right!"

"How can we both be right when we're saying the complete - opposite of things!" 

Mokuba's response was quieter. Yugi couldn't make it out. Atem worried. _What are they arguing about?_

_Me, I suppose. Possibly. Mokuba says we could both be right. Kaiba said we can't both be right, because we contradict each other._

"I'm never kind and sweet!" Kaiba scoffed, loud enough for Yugi to hear. He translated for Atem.

"You're the kindest and sweetest person I know," Mokuba argued. After that there was no more shouting.

 _Maybe we should stay here for a while. Until the thing around Kaiba calms down. Like a trial period._ That way they didn't have to decide right away. 

Atem smiled. _Sounds good._ He curled up against Yugi and wrapped his arms around him. His thoughts were just as warm as his embrace. He thought of Yugi's endless kindness and of how lucky he was to have him. He thought of the man behind the wall, of the kindness he had shown them. _Mokuba may have a point after all..._ Atem thought sleepily. _Well, his kindness is not as straightforward as Yugi's. No one could beat Yugi... Maybe I should tell Kaiba I like him... maybe I'll tell him in the morning...I hope he makes pancakes for breakfast. I want pancakes._

Yugi snorted and tried to leave Atem and his sleepy thoughts alone as much as was possible. He too fell asleep a few moments later, although as he woke the next morning to the smell of pancakes he briefly wondered if he really was the only one who could read Atem's mind. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Automatic by Utada Hikaru was one of the best selling singles in Japan in 1999. Yes, I'm suggesting (some of the) same celebrities exist in their universe with that I guess, Feel free to argue. I'm not so sure myself. But I wanted it to be a real song.  
> **There is a special kind of pan for takoyaki. Look it up if you'd like.  
> First time writing Yugi's perspective. What do you think? All comments are appreciated and I'll be sure to leave a reply.


	14. Shattered reality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kaiba's POV

Dawn had just barely broken through the darkness when Kaiba woke, painting the sky pink and orange. He laid in bed for a moment, his dream of gold jewelry and sands of the same colour tempting him to fall back asleep. He had dreamt of Atem, he realized. Not a nightmare either. A beautiful warm type of dream he rarely had. Except Atem wasn't in Egypt. He was here. Right here in fact, right behind the thin white walls of this room. Kaiba allowed himself to smile at the thought. 

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. _Just five more minutes._ A small voice inside his head pleaded, his body felt heavy. He wanted to sleep some more, to dream of Atem. What had they been doing in the dream anyway? Dueling? No, it had been something else. He couldn't remember. He shut up the little voice in his head that begged for more sleep and got out of bed. This included the difficult task of getting out of bed without waking his little brother, who had wrapped his arms around his older brother in his sleep. 

Once Kaiba managed to get out of bed, he glanced back at the younger boy, still sleeping, making sure he was properly covered in blankets: "Sweetest and kindest person you know, huh?" he scoffed softly and made his way to the kitchen. He knew perfectly well he wasn't the kindest person out there and he was nothing like sweet, but there was something comforting in the knowledge that Mokuba still thought so, even now, when he was older. _I hate mornings like this. They make me feel soft._ Kaiba thought to himself as he looked through the fridge and the kitchen cabinets. It seemed that despite not planning on staying here Yugi and Atem had stocked up on food quite a bit. Well, maybe Atem had wanted to have breakfast here as well. He briefly wondered if he'd somehow be offending Atem if he cooked instead and discarded the thought moment later, deeming it stupid. Mokuba loved his pancakes and his rival had mentioned something about not managing to get them right the day before, so he decided to make them. He had everything he needed. 

Kaiba turned on the television and a laptop he found from one of the cupboards. It seemed Atem either hadn't found it yet or had decided not to use it. Kaiba had had the flat cleared of most of his personal belongings, but had ordered all the game consoles and other technology to be left alone in case Atem and Yugi wanted to use any of. If there was one thing he had plenty of, it was technology. Kaiba hadn't expected to be staying over, but he supposed his decision had ended up being beneficial for himself too. He grimly watched his stock plummet on the computer screen while he waited for the first cake to turn crispy gold.

There wasn't anything more uplifting on the television either. Morning show hosts were talking about the pros and cons of caffeine consumption. Kaiba decided to put some coffee on too. He left the TV volume low, so it wouldn't wake anyone, but that also meant it couldn't break through the hateful quiet of the morning. It was on quiet mornings like these that his mind was plagued with stupid thoughts. Not all mornings were like this. Some were fine. Even if they were quiet, but some had a particular brand of quiet that made certain feelings and thoughts resurface. He had had a couple of them before now, so he had learned to recognize them. The memories of what he refused to accept as being from his past life, the memories of a Priest who had bared his name, but wasn't him, surfaced then, plaguing his mind. He still hadn't told Mokuba about them. He had hoped they would fade away. Hadn't found a way to tell him. The right time. 

A vision of a young blond maiden entered his mind. He brushed it aside with a wave of his hand. She was a useless melancholy shadow he did not need. He was far too busy for this. He had a very real, very present problem to deal with. Yet he found himself thinking back to the childhood he had never lived, comparing it to his own. _Why is it never easy? Will it ever get easier? I've tried so hard..._ He _tried so hard and in the end he was still unhappy._

Kaiba nearly sighed a sigh of relief when his rival finally entered the living room. The shadows of the Priest's pathetic life drifted away into nothingness from his mind, as if they were ashamed of their melancholy nature at the sight of their King. (Even if the Priest had become a king too, later on.)

"Morning," Atem's voice sounded regal even as he spoke so casually. 

"Hmm," Kaiba hummed in reply, looking at the pancakes rather than at Atem. The other man came to join him, he stood next to Kaiba in complete silence, but even so his dark thoughts did not return to him. It seemed his quiet presence was also enough to comfort him, to ground him. _You're getting weak._ Kaiba thought at himself. _You should be strong enough to stand on your own. Always. Others can't be trusted. He's left you once before._ The thought was like a stab to the heart. Even if Atem leaving, dueling Yugi and _losing_ and leaving hadn't been his choice, it had still felt like betrayal. He thought of how it had hurt, really hurt, deep inside and the thoughts mixed with the hurt Priest Seto had experienced when his King had died. Kaiba closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Perhaps Atem's quiet presence wasn't enough to calm him after all. 

" _Kaiba_?" Even when quiet Atem's voice was commanding and Kaiba glanced over. He saw concern in Atem's eyes, so he masked his pain the best he could and took another steading breath. He broke Atem's gaze and turned back to look at the pancakes. Atem looked at them with him. Neither seemed to be seeing them: "Is there anything I can do?" he asked. 

_Stay_. Kaiba thought, knowing he could never voice such a pathetic thought. A plea. _Stay with me and promise you'll never leave._ Ridiculous. Stupid. Childish. He had learned at a young age people always left. Betrayed. No one really cared for him. No one besides Mokuba. He flipped the pancake. _It only hurts because you allow it to hurt._ he berated himself. _Even his death wouldn't have hurt if you just hadn't cared. You shouldn't care. He's your rival, someone to defeat. The thought of loss of him shouldn't be so agonizing. But then again you haven't beaten him yet..._ with that thought Kaiba tried to rationalize his own feelings, to deny that there was more there. To banish the cognitive dissonance he was experiencing, the contradiction between what he thought he was and what he felt within himself.

Atem sighed and then seemingly refocused back on the pancakes. Kaiba tried to do the same. His rival watched his every move, it was as if he was an apprentice learning from a master. It was flattering really. Once Kaiba was done with the next cake he handed the batter spoon to Atem: "Do you want to..?"

His rival nodded, determined and took Kaiba's place as he stepped away. It was odd, having such casual conversation about trivial things like pancakes with him sometimes, they still held the same intensity as everything else did between them. It wasn't unpleasant. Kaiba watched Atem make his cake. It wasn't a difficult thing to do, really.

Kaiba could have used the time to try and figure out who he was up against, who was trying to destroy him, but he found himself watching the former Pharaoh make pancakes.

Atem's attempt at flipping the next cake in the air, like he had, was rather poor, Kaiba smirked: "There's no actual need for that. You can just flip it normally."

"I know," Atem said and even though he didn't say that he wouldn't be bested by Kaiba in something as trivial as flipping a cake, Kaiba thought he heard it. 

"Good morning!" Yugi greeted them cheerfully, making both jump a little. It was like a spell of some sort was broken: "Wow, Kaiba-kun, it's like you can read Atem's mind as well."

Kaiba scoffed: "Don't be ridiculous."

Yugi smiled: "His last thoughts before going to bed were "I hope Kaiba makes pancakes" and here you are, together, making pancakes."

Kaiba thought Atem looked a little embarrassed and Kaiba let himself enjoy the moment without pointing out that pancakes were one of the few foods he was actually good at making and therefore often resorted to when he needed to cook himself. Or when he happened to want to.

Mokuba woke soon enough and was appropriately excited at the sight of fried cakes.

By the time they were all done eating breakfast it was light and bright outside and many of Kaiba's employees were already in the headquarters, Mokuba was getting ready for school: "I'll come by the office afterwards."

Kaiba hummed in reply, heading towards the balcony (going outside would take so much more time and he had easily made the jump the night before, so why not make it now) when his mobile rang. The screen didn't display a number, saying it was classified instead. Kaiba didn't think it too odd, he knew plenty of powerful people, who would like to keep their number a secret, or at least have this pretend air of secrecy. It was a power play of sorts too, he supposed. He picked up: "Kaiba Seto."

The voice on the other end sounded crude and mocking, but was not one he recognized, from the sounds of it the man was older than him: "My, My Kaiba-kun. Slacking off while your employees are already hard at work?" 

Kaiba walked to the balcony door and glanced over to his office. Was there anyone waiting for him there? There didn't seem to be, but he couldn't see the whole room: "Who's this?" he demanded. 

"How many people do you think there are currently inside your headquarters? A hundred? A thousand? Or more? How many people work for your company?"

"I'm a very busy man. What is this about? Who is this?" 

"Nii-sama!" Kaiba paced his way back towards the kitchen area as his brother called out to him, still trying to figure out, whether this was someone very stupid doing a prank call or whether this was actually something serious to be worried about. He also wondered why Mokuba was not headed to school yet. He was going to be late. Kaiba received the answer to both of these questions by looking at the television screen. On the screen an attractive brunette news anchor was standing before the KC headquarters, the title card at the bottom of the screen announced a bomb threat having been made to Kaiba Corporation. Kaiba grabbed the remote and turned the sound on, still holding on to the phone: "You're either stupid or insane if you think you can threaten me." He worried it was the latter. Whoever was behind this had somehow managed to tip off the media, before anyone at Kaiba Corporation had known of the threat. And it was certain no one had known there was a threat or else they would have notified him immediately. Unless this guy had someone on the inside. 

"Oh, but I _can_ and I _have_. If you don't meet my demands I'll blow up the entire building. It will shoot up to the sky, so high it will reach your space station and all the lovely employees of Kaiba Corporation will blow up too," the man almost sang, he sounded just a touch like a fanatic.

"You're - bluffing," Kaiba said, his voice betraying nothing but confidence and if there was a pause, it was there because he couldn't think of the word right away. Kaiba's long fingers clenched into a fist, annoyed at himself rather than anything. He needed to sound confident and fluent for this conversation. "There is no way you could have planted enough explosives to blow up the building or do any serious harm. We have security." 

"Are you willing to take that risk?" 

Kaiba was aware of Yugi, Atem and Mokuba all in the room even as he listened to the man on the line, keen for any clues. He pulled his laptop closer to him, across the table and started typing away, setting the phone down and putting it on speaker. That way Mokuba would be in the loop as well and if his own, still subpar language skills would fail him and he would misunderstand something, Mokuba would be able to fill him in. Meanwhile he would try to trace the call. He would probably not be fast enough, but it was worth to try.

"Is that typing I hear there? If you're near a computer anyway, you might want to open your e-mail, you know which one, we've e-mailed you before."

"Ah. So it is all connected. Thank you for the conformation," he had figured as much, but he was a pretty widely hated man. It wasn't completely unthinkable that several different people or organizations were trying to get to him at once. So it was nice to know that this particular theory of his was proven correct. 

"Of course it is," the man sounded incredibly smug: "It's all connected, Kaiba Seto. More than you could possibly know. We will destroy your life. Every aspect of it," he gloated. 

"Quite confident, are we?" 

The man on the other side huffed: "Have you opened the link yet?"

Kaiba clicked on yet another mail from Anon78692@KCmail.com, the subject line dramatically read _The Clock is Ticking._ The e-mail contained nothing aside from a single link. Kaiba clicked it. A new browser window opened, inside the window, 4 smaller windows appeared, each displaying an image of a bomb, counting down to zero. Little over five minutes still on the clock: "This proves nothing. You've made fake videos before. Your own previous actions have - come to bite you," he wasn't sure he had the saying right. It sounded off. 

"Quite confident, are we?" the man parroted his own earlier words back at him.

"You still haven't told me what you want."

"I want you to meet me at the top of the Kaiba Corporation. On the roof. Come and I'll pause the clock."

"I see and are you the brains behind this operation or just a - um - messenger?" 

"I don't think you're in any position to ask questions, Kaiba-kun," Kaiba grit his teeth. No one called him _kun_ these days. No one except Yugi, who did it in a friendly manner. This guy here was clearly mocking him. Even with his somewhat tenuous grasp of the Japanese language Kaiba had gathered as much. 

"A messenger then," Kaiba concluded and sighed. This only meant that whoever was behind this was careful, had a network and was possibly quite smart. All things Kaiba had already guessed, but these theories he was disappointed to have confirmed. 

"So, are you coming to meet me, Kaiba-kun? It's a win-win in my book. Either you do what I want and come up here or you don't, all your employees will die and the whole world will know Seto Kaiba does not care about his employees. It is really practically helping our cause along."

"You're bluffing," Kaiba repeated. 

"So you're taking that risk?"

Kaiba paused, he looked from the screen to his brother, but he already knew what he would do. Mokuba had ditched his schoolbag. He had also slid Kaiba a note. _I'll go see that the building is evacuated._ There wasn't a question, not really: "I'll come."

"Hurry," the voice taunted: "The clock will only stop once I see you on the roof." The call ended on that ominous note. For a brief moment there seemed to be complete silence in the room. It was as if the TV had also been stunned into silence. 

"It's a trap," Mokuba said, already almost out of the door. He needed to hurry. They all did. The clock was getting closer to zero mercilessly.

"I know," Kaiba replied grimly. It was blatantly obvious really. He was certain even Yugi in his endless naiveté and belief in the good of the people had figured this much out. 

"Be careful." 

"You too. If they're smart - they'll try and take you." If their plan was to torment him and ruin his life, taking Mokuba was the obvious step. He was somewhat surprised they hadn't tried that yet. It was usually what his enemies started with. Even the dullest of them could figure out that the one sure way to torment him was to threaten his little brother.

"I'll go with Mokuba," Yugi said. Kaiba was certain Yugi couldn't fight off anyone, his own bodyguards were much more capable in that regard. Still, he couldn't help, but feel a tinge of gratitude. He tried to smother it mercilessly.

"I'm going with Kaiba," Atem said. 

"No," Kaiba argued, turned on his heel and went to the balcony. He would reach his office and therefore the roof quicker that way, by jumping and every second counted. Atem followed regardless of the fact that Kaiba had made his feelings very clear. A moment later Kaiba landed in his office. He considered closing the window behind him, but Atem had already made the jump, Kaiba found himself reaching out for his hand despite himself. He didn't need Atem falling to his death to top off his pile of already serious problems. Atem's hand was warm. Solid and yet soft, like a paradox. His grip was firm. It was horribly comforting. They locked eyes for a moment. Time seemed to stand still, but Kaiba was now more than ever aware that it never did: "There is no point in you coming. These people won't duel. This won't be another tag duel," he spoke in Ancient Egyptian again. It was easier, just by enough to matter, and right now everything was enough hard already. He was reminded of another time when he and Atem had been on top of a building and the stakes had been sky high. He was sure Atem was thinking of that too.

"I know, I'm coming anyway," Atem said. Well, they hadn't said he should come alone.

They stepped out of the office and went against the flow of people trying to exit. He could feel the eyes of his employees on him. Sure, they looked at Atem too, but they all relied on _him_. They went against the evacuation protocol and stepped inside an elevator, where they stood side by side in silence. It was comforting still. Walking into a trap with someone by your side. It shouldn't feel so, because surely, he was pulling Atem down with him, but it did anyways. He was almost tempted to thank Atem. 

"There is something I've been wanting to tell you, once this is over." Kaiba wondered if Atem was giving him another reason to try and make it out of this trap alive or if he was giving himself that reason.

"I'm not a man of words, so if it's some sentiment regarding our friendship or the like, you can keep it." He glanced over to Atem and he looked, wounded, just for the briefest of moments. Had it really been that then? Something so trivial. Well, Kaiba supposed these things mattered to Yugi and Atem. In some ways he and Atem were so alike, in others, Atem was so like Yugi and their little group of friends.

Kaiba was glad he had decided to modify the building so that the elevator went right up to the rooftop. Their messenger stood at the other side of the roof, just a silhouette of a man against the light: " _I'm here!_ " Kaiba roared, making his way towards him, Atem right behind. He couldn't see Atem, but he could feel his presence, hear his footsteps, matching his own slow and dramatic pace. He refused to rush, to look desperate in front of his enemy.

"Kaiba Seto-kun..." the other man drawled. He too was pretending they had all the time in the world. 

"Have you - !"

"Stopped the clock? Yes. Now, we move on to the next part," The man paused dramatically: "You get a choice. You and your world must be destroyed. Either you destroy it yourself or we will destroy it for you." 

Kaiba let out a short humorless laugh. 

"You already know what we want. You will discontinue your Duel Links Solid Vision system, close all the servers, discontinue the game, halt production of your new Duel Disks and do an immediate and full call back of all the products out there," Kaiba was fairly certain the man had simply quoted the e-mail he had been sent earlier with that first ridiculous video. The exact same demand had been stated there. 

"Do you have any words of your own or do you just always repeat what others say? Who do you work for?"

The man laughed, said something Kaiba didn't understand. He grit his teeth in frustration and glanced over to Atem, who seemed, if anything, even more lost. 

"I don't work for anyone. We're not businessmen like you. We simply work together to bring justice to the world. The truth. To destroy you, your world and everything you hold dear."

"I refuse your terms. Now what?"

The man produced a card. It was a copy of his Blue-Eyes White Dragon. From afar it looked completely real, but Kaiba was sure it was not. All three of his cards were still safely in his deck. 

"I'll tear it apart."

Kaiba smirked. A page out of his own playbook. He looked over at Atem and wondered if he was experiencing a strange sense of Deja vu with the scene before him. Atem looked furious. 

"It's a fake," Kaiba said confidently: "You're good at your fakes, but it is still just a fake."

" _Are you sure_?" the man taunted. 

Kaiba took out his deck, confident that he would find his all his three of his Blue-Eyes there, he located the first two easy enough, but the third... wasn't there. _Impossible_. Impossible. It had to be here. Kaiba had his cards with him at all times. His manor had security so high no one would get in. Except he hadn't slept in his manor tonight, he had slept at Atem's and Yugi's. Security was good there too, but nowhere near as tight. Had someone broken in while he slept and stolen one of his Blue-Eyes? He was going through his cards one by one now, but he already knew it was gone. It generally took him no longer than a few seconds to find a specific card from his deck. Which meant that the man opposite to him was actually holding his Blue-Eyes White Dragon. 

"My, my, are we having trouble finding it?" 

Kaiba could feel all the colour draining from his face as the realization dawned on him. He glanced over at Atem on impulse: "I don't have it..," he practically whispered, speaking to Atem instead of the man in front of him. He could see his own feelings, his own terror, on Atem's face. _Why is he so concerned?_ Kaiba wondered. Suddenly, for a brief moment it was all that he was concerned with. _Why isn't he happy? Gloating? Any normal person would be. 'What goes around, comes around' they would say. I had this coming, didn't I? I did. Does he value the rarity of the card? Is it because we're friends? Are we friends? Is that what I think now? No, friendship is a word too weak to describe..._

Kaiba didn't even realize he had been staring at Atem for possibly quite a long moment, before his extortionist spoke: "We're quite good at tricks and illusions, but that's not all we're good at. We can be quite creative. So, what's it going to be, Kaiba-kun?" as the man spoke he slid the insanely rare card out of it's protective transparent sleeve and let the sleeve drop to the ground, while holding the card between both index fingers and thumbs, ready to tear it, bringing Kaiba's full attention back to it. 

"Either you do as we say, discontinue your system, your game, all its features, do a full call-back off all the products... or, there will be one less Blue-Eyes White Dragon in the world."

Kaiba felt himself rage. But it was a helpless, useless sort of rage. He would never let someone so meaningless embarrass and humiliate him so, but he sure as hell wasn't going to destroy the culmination of his life's work either. Even pretending to agree to that would be beneath him. He wasn't sure he could live with with either kind of humiliation. In front of Atem no less.

His rival spoke before he did, but he did not answer for him: " _Creative_? You think you're being _creative_? I must misunderstand the word! You're just doing what Kaiba has done before! In a - much much _less_ honourble way! At least he dueled for the card! At least he knows its worth! You don't even play the game! You don't even care for the value of the card you're holding! For you it's just something to manipulate! You're the lowest of the low!"

 _Ah, so it was about card rarity._ Kaiba thought for a moment, before he realized something else. The man was fully focused on Atem now, focusing on his rant, but Atem wasn't just ranting, even if his words were all sincere, he was _distracting_ the man, so that Kaiba could make his move. Kaiba wasn't about to let the opportunity go to waste. He picked another card from his deck and sent it flying towards the man's hand, as skillful as ever. As one of his most prized cards flew out of the man's hand, he leaped after it, catching it and quickly making sure it was fine: "You're lucky you didn't ruin it..." he muttered, but shot Atem a thankful look. His rival smiled, so Kaiba figured all was said in that look that needed to be said. 

"I think you've lost your bargaining chip," Kaiba said smugly, but he only got to be smug for the briefest moments while the man rubbed his hand. Their still nameless extortionist reached inside his coat and pulled a revolver out. _A Smith & Wesson. _Kaiba's mind uselessly provided as he stared down the barrel. He knew a lot about guns still, much as he had tried to forget this now useless information he had once been forced to memorize. Well, knowing the maker or even the model (629) was hardly going to do him much good now. 

"Oh, I think I've got a few good ones left," the smug man said: "Do I need to give you my ultimatum once more or is it clear? Your life or...?"

"You're going to _kill_ , Kaiba?" Atem sounded genuinely offended. Kaiba doubted the same distraction technique would work twice even with the idiot before them: "Just - with your - thing," he made a shooting notion with his finger: "How lazy."

The smug (and Kaiba agreed, uninventive) guy, pointed his revolver at his rival, making the mistake of taking his eyes off Kaiba for a second, Kaiba moved lightening fast, but still not fast enough. The man's eyes were back on him, his revolver pointed at him, another card, ready to be weaponized, was between Kaiba's slender fingers. 

" _Don't move_!" The man shouted, much too loud. Kaiba smirked. Interesting. The only one holding a gun was also the most scared. Sure, Kaiba had won gunfights with just cards plenty, but the man still technically had the upper hand. So why was he scared? Kaiba glanced at Atem, who took another step forward, causing the revolver to point back at him, but this time the man's eyes stayed on Kaiba: "That goes for both of you! Don't make a move or it will be your last!" the guy spoke a little too fast and despite the seeming hopelessness of the situation, Kaiba suddenly felt like they had the advantage. He glanced over to Atem and he knew why the man was afraid. The look in his rival's eyes held no trace of fear at all, despite having a gun pointed at him, in fact, if looks could kill Atem's would have pulverized their opponent on the spot. Atem's eyes were locked with Kaiba's. Kaiba felt chills run down his own body. It felt good. He felt alive. 

The man screamed: "Stop doing that!" 

Kaiba laughed: "What? _Looking_ at each other?" 

" _Yes_!" 

"Listen. If you answer all my questions, we might let you go," Kaiba said, sounding as calm as if the card in his hand were a grenade he could use to blow up the entire scene. 

"What?! I'm the one with a gun! I get to ask the questions and make the demands!" the man almost sounded confused now, his hand was shaking. 

This only gave Kaiba more confidence. He straightened himself, rid himself of any natural fears for his life that threatened to surface. Beating them down mercilessly: " _Really_? You're going to kill me? Better do it then. Better make it count. Better not miss." 

The man stared at him him for a moment in shock. Atem used that opportunity to tackle him, Kaiba made a sharp move, expecting that the gun might go off and shoot him in the face by accident with the man being caught off guard. Another moment later he saw Atem sitting on top of their opponent, his full body weight on the man. The uninventive loser had dropped his gun and Kaiba went to grab it, but Atem was quicker, reaching over and taking it without ever fully getting off the man. Yet another moment later the gun was on the man's temple: "We're going to make this more interesting. I understand that Duel Monsters is a game too complicated for you, so we're going to play something simple. Russian roulette," Kaiba watched Atem handle the gun with an unexpectedly practiced ease. He was visibly furious, but his movements were precise.

"Seeing as you think think you have some -," he paused, looking for the right word: "great power - right to do this. Because you think this is justice. I'm sure Gods will be on your side," Atem smirked, there was an unmistakable fire in his eyes. He was not bluffing. He would kill the man here: "You'll take the first, I take sec - "

" _Atem_ ," Kaiba allowed his command to cut through his rival's speech: "I don't want my company's blood on your hands. This is my responsibility and mine alone." Knowing Atem he was going to deeply regret this later and Kaiba didn't want him to feel like he had done this hugely inexcusable thing for Kaiba. He didn't want that much debt. A loan he didn't even really need to take in the first place. He could do this himself. Easily. It was his responsibility and his alone: "Give me the gun."

It seemed that Atem had, in the brief pause between Kaiba's words, realized what he had been about to do and therefore handed the gun over easily. The man tried to get away then, but Atem still had him pinned under him nice and proper. Kaiba pressed the gun to the idiot's temple: "Listen, you bastard. My friend here is not fucking around," it felt weird to actually use the word 'friend' in regards to Atem and he knew from the brief look in Atem's eyes, that he had noticed Kaiba's choice of words. However calling him his rival in their current situation would have been plain odd: "Neither am I. I can easily kill you. You're going to tell me, who do you work for."

The man burst out laughing, manic: "I don't work for _anyone_! We are -,"

"Who do you follow then!?" Kaiba snapped. "Who told you to this?! Who gave you the idea!?"

The man just chuckled: "We don't know each other's names. We don't need to. All we need to do is to have a common purpose. To _destroy_ you." Kaiba considered. Was it worth having this nutcase brought back to his lab to try and question him? Did he actually know anything or was he just a fanatic? Just a messenger sent with the appropriate tools? Maybe he didn't even know the man on the top. 

" _Kaiba_!" This time it was Atem, who called his name and brought him out of his thoughts. Kaiba looked over to Atem, but he saw no reason for him to be as upset as he sounded: "Something is wrong." Atem said, not bothering with Japanese anymore. 

"What is?"

"I don't know. I can feel it. Yugi is - distressed. But I'm too far away to tell exactly."

Kaiba's phone went off the same moment. Without removing the gun from the man's temple he answered the call: "Mokuba."

"Nii-sama. They found the bombs, all three of them, they were just -, !" Mokuba kept talking on the other side, but Kaiba was missing too many words to understand and his brother was speaking too fast for him to try and keep up.

"Mokuba, calm down. I don't understand you."

Mokuba did not calm down. He was screaming: " _Get out of there! Get out! Run! You have 45 seconds!"_

"Shit. Yes. I will. Are you ok-"

"I _'m fine! Run_!"

Kaiba knocked the man unconscious with the back of his gun. It was a death sentence for him, but he couldn't have him running after him and Atem either. Besides, a fanatic like him would have probably settled for dying if it meant all three of them were dying. He dropped the gun and grabbed Atem's hand: " _Run_!" he ordered, practically yanking him along. The elevator was the only decent way to access the rooftop. There was a ladder too, but he knew climbing it would take longer than the elevator. His other option was to jump off the roof onto another roof, but the fall was too long to be safe. They were the only people in the building so the elevator should have still been on their level. He slammed the call button down and the doors opened instantly. He shoved Atem inside without thinking and jumped after him, pressing some more buttons as the doors closed: "This is faster. Even if it really doesn't feel like it. We're going to go to my office and jump from the window to your balcony." 

"What's going on?" 

"If I understood Mokuba correctly the whole place will blow up in seconds." 

Atem gave a brisk nod, which only indicated that he understood: "I would like to thank you. For what you did up there. For stopping me."

"No gratitude is required. Without you, I would certainly be dead. Let's see if we can delay that eventuality some more," The doors opened and Kaiba pulled Atem along as they practically flew to his office. He did let go of his rival's wrist when it was time to get ready for the jump, pulling Atem along while he flew through the air, would have been quite dangerous. He only paused for the briefest of moments to make sure Atem had made the jump, before gliding inside through the balcony door and trying to get them as far into the room as possible. 

The windows shattered into thousands of tiny shards, Kaiba could feel them rain against his back, before the impact threw him and Atem on the floor. He knew it had been a powerful blast without looking. He didn't particularly want to look. To see the destruction of the building which was practically a symbol of his company. He found a strange twinge of, not quite joy, but contentment, he was _pleased_ to find that he had managed to shield Atem from the blast. A way to get even for his help. He told himself. His rival stared back at him with his bright unnaturally red-purple eyes. It should have been a terrifying colour, Kaiba thought. Yet it was anything but: "Well, I trust we're a bit more even now that I've saved you from there being shards of glass in your back. Although I owe you both for my life and for my card. I'm not even sure, which is a greater debt. "

Atem winced, as if the thought of Kaiba being hurt hurt him too, the thought warmed Kaiba's insides, he tried to push it away: "You owe me nothing. You gave me this life, remember? And you saved me again today. From myself. I used to fear, that without Yugi to stop me, I could lose control, as I nearly did today, but at least now I can feel a bit comforted by the knowledge that Yugi is not the only one, who can pull me away from becoming something I'd regret."

Kaiba knew Atem meant this as a great compliment, to be compared to the shrimp, much as Kaiba didn't always agree with his naive views he knew he was the person Atem loved the most in this world and possibly any other: "He was not worthy of your rage, but it was perfectly understandable. He threatened your life and threatened to destroy a card that, while not as dear to you as it is to me, you well understand is irreplaceable," Kaiba looked away from Atem's intense gaze: "I was surprised you did not take pleasure in the sight. That alone should tell you you are a better man than you give yourself credit for."

"How could I ever take pleasure in your suffering?!" Atem's voice was incredibly loud with them being so close and having just spoken in half-whispers, but Kaiba forced himself to look back at Atem and see the scorching-hot fire in his eyes. 

Kaiba really wasn't sure what to say to that. There were plenty of seemingly valid reasons for Atem to take pleasure in his suffering. He hadn't always been overly kind to him or to his friends. However he also refused not to have the last word: "Hmm, I know Yugi is naive and absurdly forgiving, but I didn't realize you shared that fault," he scoffed. He wasn't sure why he was offending Atem. If he was honest it made him glad to hear that Atem bared no ill-will towards him, neither in his words, or, what mattered more, in his actions.

"Yugi's kindness is not a fault. Neither is mine," Atem said sternly: "And don't be daft. It doesn't suit you. While their attitude towards cards does enrage me, them threatening you was what truly infuriated me most. I couldn't stand to lose you." Atem was stroking Kaiba's face now, tracing his cheekbone with one finger. It was an odd sensation, no one ever touched him in such intimate ways, slightly uncomfortable in it's unexpectedness, but Kaiba stayed rigidly still, refusing to pull away: "You can stand on your own."

"So can you. _That's not the point._ Being without you - feels wrong." Their stares were so intense that had there been outsiders they might have found them a little ridiculous. Their extreme proximity only made the intensity worse and yet Kaiba loved it. It felt like staring into his rival's fiery defiant soul. 

"I _know_. It burns like a wound in the deepest part of my soul. Why do you think I came for you?" Kaiba said, voice sharp and eyes piercing, letting Atem know the truth, attempting to hurt him by letting him know he was hurt. _What an odd concept._ Kaiba thought. _I'm actually assuming he cares enough to feel saddened by my pain._ He couldn't remain surprised by the realization for long as a much bigger shock hit him as Atem closed the distance between them and kissed him. It was a delightful affair that felt natural despite it's utter novelty. Kaiba knew first kisses were supposed to be awkward and clumsy and he was sure theirs was too to the outside world (which paradoxically had ceased to exist for a moment), but for hesitance there was practically none. Once he kissed Atem back they were both almost desperate in their actions.

Kaiba knew battles better than most. Most of his life had been a battle. So perhaps it was natural that this too felt like a fight. As with all fights with Atem this too was exhilarating, passionate and made him feel alive like nothing else would. He did wonder what he was fighting against. Atem was not his opponent, he was as eager as he was and they both seemed to win in this. So it concluded this was a tag team, a joint fight against a common enemy. But What was that enemy? 

Kaiba broke away, needing to draw in a breath. Still, they remained close within each other's space. _More. More of this._ His mind begged and Kaiba allowed himself to surrender, if only to his own whims and pressed his lips against the former Pharaoh's once more. Willing this not to end, because once it was over it was over. Surely that was the case. Atem had kissed him to prove a point, to highlight it, but that didn't mean he'd do it again. It would complicate matters. If they kissed more often they'd have to define it and Kaiba wasn't foolish enough to think Atem would want him as his lover. He was hardly boyfriend material. So once this was over it was over then. Kaiba would have to return to the madness that was present. To all the problems that he had to face, to an enemy he was no closer to unveiling. He'd have to return to reality. Reality then. That was the common enemy. They had shattered it completely, for nothing seemed to exist here besides them. But it would not stay shattered for long. 

He was kissing Atem more softly now, but the passion was still there for both of them. Neither seemed keen for the moment to end. Kaiba knew he didn't want it to. Such an unique experience. One that he was never going to experience again even if both of them would want it. _If I could have this, all the time, maybe I could be happy. Truly._ Kaiba thought wistfully. He smirked bitterly at the childish naiveté of the thought and Atem kissed the bitterness from his lips. He cupped Atem's face, held him with a sort of tenderness that he never allowed for anyone aside from his one family member. They stared at each other for another moment, both of their eyes soft now. Their fires a little calmer, although never quite put out.

"Well, of all the things I expected to see here, I didn't expect this..." Kaiba heard his brother's voice mutter. He turned to see brother and Yugi staring at them both, their mouths hanging open. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That took me so long I bet some of you thought I had given up. I hadn't. Still, despite the fact that this was one of the first chapters I thought of it had many twists and turns I did not see coming. I had thought Atem would kill that man for one and for a long moment I wasn't sure if Kaiba's BEWD would survive.
> 
> Comments are like a fuel that make me write faster, so if you have ideas, thoughts of feelings regarding this, dump them in the comments!


End file.
